In early 2003, it looks like he had his hands full. He was inexperienced as prime-minister, already caretaker of his imploded first government (the disastrous 80-something days with the Pim Fortuyn party LPF) and Balkenende was heavily involved with the formation of the successor government at the time. After I wrote the above, I saw that similar argumentation also have been noted by the committee.

But when the question is the invasion of a foreign country, I find the absence of his involvement rather dubious.

De Hoop Scheffer, plus his Atlantacist staff at the department of Foreign Affairs, are sketched as the main architects of the policy of the Dutch government, without prominent involvement of other cabinet members. Balkenende gave De Hoop Scheffer free rein. When he set out the course, everyone fell in line behind him without much questioning, and facts were bend to fit the picture - similar as to what happened in the USA and UK.

What still might be explosive is to what regard Balkenende mis-informed Parliament.