Did or didn't the US government ask the Netherlands for help?

[Occhidiangela]

Richard Armitage sparked a massive controversy and small political crisis in the Netherlands by stating that the US government asked directly for aid in the Iraq war. The Dutch government had always maintained that it had never been asked. With Armitage suddenly saying this, the Dutch government has been discredited immensely in the eyes of the opposition and the general public. Armitage came with a statement a few days later that he had been misunderstood and perhaps used bad wording. Sadly for him, he forgot the interview was put on tape.

Armitage states the US government asked the Dutch for help (source, GPD, the associated press in the netherlands, not a bunch that would lie):
An excerpt: http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/393401/c99..._en_de_gpd.html

Armitage, seeing the crisis he sparked (he stated off the screen the Dutch government didn't contact him on this), states he was misunderstood and perhaps used bad wording. He says this in the first 30 seconds, second half suggests that de hoop Scheffer was pointed nato general in return for Dutch help in the iraq war. Very crappy video quality, but audio is good. Also a BSOD at 0:51.
http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/393411/d9d..._en_de_nos.html

One slip of the tongue and a government comes close to falling across the pond. Woopsie.

Tempest in a teapot.

What a load of drama queens.