SPIEGEL cover story, part one: Will the ruling coalition of Social Democrats and Greens be shattered by the deployment of German troops in the war against terrorism? Did the United States really ask for German troops, as the German government assures, or did Berlin have to ask for the request? DER SPIEGEL has had access to classified documents and tries to unravel the maze of information and disinformation pertaining to the first war mission in the history of the Bundeswehr.

“Hit and Run?”

German troops: The German armed forces are to send 3900 soldiers to assist the USA in the battle against terrorism. The navy will bear the main burden, while the army will take on the biggest risk. Large army units have not been requested – the Americans know the German weaknesses.

Terrorism: Will a German court torpedo international diplomacy? The verdict in the trial of the alleged perpetrators behind the 1986 La Belle discotheque bombing in Berlin, which killed three and wounded 200 people, is expected for next Tuesday. To the present, Libya’s involvement in the attack has not been proved, although the US holds Libyan leader Gadhafi responsible. A conviction will lead to a diplomatic furore and probably stop Gadhafi’s attempts to re-enter the world community by rescuing the detained “Shelter Now” workers in Afghanistan.

“Modern Slavery”

Extremists: By marrying German women, Islamists can secure clean passports, the right of residence and a perfect cover. But for the women it can be hell. The investigating authorities are worried that many Western wives of Islamic extremists are being detained against their will in Afghanistan, Sudan or Egypt.

“By Day They Tremble in Fear of the Night”

The Pentagon claims that no nation has ever bombed as circumspectly as the Americans, but that a certain amount of collateral damage is inevitable. Afghan refugees have been describing the bombardments to DER SPIEGEL from their own point of view:

It’s a beautiful morning in Kabul, the skies are blue, and Islam Din is on the way to his shop. As he passes the town’s cement depot he hears a missile; but he has often heard missiles. Then his left leg, left arm and his face are on fire. Now he is lying in the Mashal Medical Center in Peshawar, Pakistan. Islam Din has become a victim of this war in two senses: his health and his source of income have both been demolished. He plans to go to Lahman where he has a small plot of land from which he can feed himself and his family. So Din will be moving one step backwards, from a merchant to farming for his own needs. This is the fate of many in Afghanistan, a society in a state of regression: those who were once merchants, go back to growing their own food, those who grew their own food are becoming reliant on aid. Those who depended on aid and lived in remote areas could soon be starving.

Ramin Shah flew military helicopters for the Afghan communists, later for the Mujahedin and then for the Taliban. Now he is a civilian and sees how the war is escalating. In the dispassionate voice of a professional officer he says: “The USA’s mission will end in success. But the price will be very high. After the air attacks, a guerrilla war will follow”.

“There Is No Europe in this Conflict”

Interview with former security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski on America’s fight against the Taliban, its inability to assert itself in the Middle East, and the shaky alliance against terrorism:

“The only issue is, would America win perhaps at too high a cost and over too long a period of time. … If the bombing campaign remains the main expression of American engagement, if civilian casualties rise, if there’s a crescendo of international criticism, the situation in Pakistan may become more volatile. … I think there has been consensus in the world, including the United States and Israel, that a Palestinian state is the eventual outcome of the peace. … You cannot use the word ‘Europeans’. There are individual European states.”

“The War of the Nit-Pickers”

Conductors: The head of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, has triggered an unfortunate affair by securing a court injunction against a biography written about him. It is immediately apparent that the book is a rush job, with long stretches of it taking the form of a trite report lacking the splendid glamour of the profession. The biography is based on foreign sources; personal encounters with Abbado and individual impressions of him are rare and remain colourless. But there’s one thing this autobiography isn’t: clueless, malicious, or devious. So what is the crunch? It certainly isn’t a matter of indiscretions or intimate details, which are usually the most embarrassing causes of offence. Abbado’s era in Berlin is drawing to an end, it will be over next year. This is the last chance of fostering posthumous fame. Last year, Abbado was diagnosed with having gastric cancer; the head of the Philharmonic Orchestra had to take a prolonged break.

“Surviving in Soft Sheet Metal”

More pliable bodywork could save many lives. While the European car industry is trying to fend off strict EU regulations, Honda is making a name for itself as the world champion in pedestrian protection. A study by a committee of independent doctors and engineers from public authorities and universities could form the basis for a general change in the approach taken by automobile makers. For a long time, the latter confined themselves to declaring that steel bodywork and the human body were simply incompatible in a crash situation, and that the only solution was to keep them strictly separated. But in the meantime it is considered an established fact that head injuries can be greatly reduced simply through the intelligent design of car bonnets. So far the proposal does not have the force of law – it does, however, have a powerful adversary: the European car manufacturers, represented by their umbrella organisation ACEA, are up in arms against the intended crash programme.

“Harsh Sounds in the Cuddly Corner”

Art market: Entrepreneur Hans Grothe is putting up part of his vast art collection for auction at Christie’s. Now prominent artists are accusing him of wild speculation. Apart from works by classic painters such as Anselm Kiefer, Sigmar Polke and Gerhard Richter, he is in particular parting with works by the four photographers Thomas Demand, Andreas Gurky, Thomas Ruff and Thomas Struth. The photographers protest that he assured them – in front of witnesses – that he would never sell their works during his own lifetime. It was only because of this that they had let him have “important and significant cycles of their work for exceptional conditions” – that is to say: at bargain prices. But now Grothe has broken all his promises in order to finance a new real estate deal.