However, the various cases he narrated illustrate the strategic position Osterhaus held, a position that slowly became problematic. The many 'hats' he wore and responsibilities he carried, both nationally and internationally, confounded his expert role. He says it was manageable to know when to speak from which position and responsibility, but outsiders saw this same person in quite different settings, taking up both scientific and political roles in one same interview (see for example Netwerk 21 February 2003) . Other virologists noted that he was doing the government's dirty work (Osterhaus 29 July 2008; Goudsmit in NRC Handelsblad 5 July 2003), and even a ministerial letter to parliament had to justify the way Osterhaus' view was accommodated in policy (Veerman 23-04-2003) . In the second crisis, Osterhaus had scientific credibility and political responsibilities, he made scientific and strategic statements, and he spoke in both a personal and collective capacity, making him an entangled expert.