The German papers report that the government headed by Gerhard Schroeder (SPD) (and in coalition with the Greens) has agreed to allow German AWAC pilots to participate in an eventual war with Iraq. The pilots would be part of the NATO contingent. You may recall that Schroeder won the recent election by opposing American policies with respect to Iraq. Opposition conservatives have charged Schroeder with lying in his campaign. Schroeder has defended the government's decision by drawing distinctions between "active" and "passive" participation in an eventual war.

Der Tagespiegel's Robert von Rimscha defends the chancellor's decision as both "deceiving the electorate -- and correct." Von Rimscha compares Schroeder to the sorcerer's apprentice (a common trope in German writing since Goethe's famous poem); if there is a war, Schroeder may end up in trouble with the electorate. Rimscha notes that one third NATO's AWACs occupants are German; should a war start, the attempt to divide between "active" and "passive" participation will become absurd, and Schroeder will be forced to admit the deception.