A handicapped Iraq inquiry
An investigation is better than no investigation. So it is gratifying that prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende has finally relinquished his lengthy and obstinate opposition to an inquiry into the Dutch government's political support for the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. But this is the only positive thing that can be said about the decision taken on February 2 to set up an independent commission of inquiry.
The Christian Democrat prime minister on Monday emphasised again that he has nothing to hide on the question of Iraq. He also again pointed out that a majority in parliament had repeatedly supported the rejection of an inquiry. But in doing so he ignored the fact that, following the last formation of a government in 2007, this was solely due to an agreement that should never have been made. Namely the deal reached by the coalition parties Christian Democrats, Labour and the orthodox Christian party ChristenUnie that there would be no Iraq inquiry. Coalition partners have no business making deals that undermine the work of members of parliament. And members of parliament must not agree to such deals from opportunistic considerations.
The government has now agreed to an investigation led by former high court judge Willibrord Davids, who has been advised to include government ministers in his commission. Balkenende emphasised that this is an independent commission, implicitly implying that the lower (and upper) house would not be independent.
In addition, parliament has been more or less gagged until November, when the investigation is due to be completed, with all questions on the affair being referred directly to the commission rather than through the normal parliamentary channels. The government will not answer them. So for the time being it will not say why the then coalition of Christian Democrats, right-wing Liberals and anti-immigration LPF (List Pim Fortuyn) ignored or never received civil servants' advice that political support for the war was not in accordance with international law. Nor if the US had asked the Netherlands for military support.
The government prefers to concentrate on the economic crisis, according to Balkenende, the seriousness of which is not in doubt. And yet: if Balkenende had not been so stubborn, an Iraq inquiry could have been completed before anyone noticed there was a credit crisis on the way.
Furthermore, not everyone in the government village that is The Hague needs to take action on this crisis. Certainly not ministries relevant to the Iraq affair like foreign affairs and defence.
The Davids commission will have access to all relevant documents including those of the intelligence, security and defence departments. It will also have the right to call any witnesses it considers necessary. That is good, but it remains a limited investigation. And this on a subject whose relevance is difficult to overstate: taking part in or supporting a war.
The proper way to bring all the facts to light is a parliamentary inquiry with the right to call witnesses and to hear them under oath. It needs a parliament with the courage to demand that such an inquiry still takes place.