My guess is that this incident has more to do with Norway's troops having to rely on someone else's helicopters (instead of bringing their own) rather than ze germans deserting them.
I think they had a WTF moment when the helicopters had to leave and are frustrated now (understandably), and it looks like the multi national effort in Afghanistan is plagued with so many different safety and engagement rules that the local NATO commanders must be driven nuts by now, and imho questions the sensibility of it all.
It still makes me sick that some NATO members (including Germany) weasel themselves out of the fighting after NATO went to war after 9/11. The politicians around here simply dont have the stomach to tell the public up front that the country is in a war, and there will be dead soldiers and it will cost lots of money.
While the actual event seems to be blown out of proportion, the background behind it (german troops practically can't fight in afghanistan) is a major issue.
