Germany has decided to no longer guard US military facilities on German soil. Apparently about 2,500 Greman soldiers had taken the place of Americans, who had to leave for Iraq.
That means the U.S. now has an even more difficult task of finding an extra 2,500 soldiers while the supply of soldiers is already stretched far too thin for comfort (especially the comfort of National Guard members and reservists).
Germany also says that it won't help govern Iraq as a member of a NATO force. It still leaves open the possibility of a U.N. role, apparently....
Both of these acts are almost certainly intended to increase pressure for the U.S. to let the U.N. run Iraq. The Germans are not simply voicing displeasure, they are taking concrete steps to sway the Bush administration by limiting the tactical options.
If that wasn't enough to make Bush&Co angry, the Defense Minister gives this ominous offer of help: "The army will only provide special aircraft to transport wounded if this proves necessary." Ouch.