Japan delays SDF mission to Iraq until next year

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=1&id=278586

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 at 05:57 JST
TOKYO — The government has decided to postpone the projected deployment in December of a Self-Defense Forces (SDF) advance team to southern Iraq until early next year due to security concern, government sources said Monday night.

Under a law enacted in July authorizing the government to send SDF troops to help rebuild Iraq, Japan was preparing to send a 150-member Ground Self-Defense Force advance team to Iraq in December and a full contingent of 550 troops early next year to around the southern Iraqi city of Samawah. (Kyodo News)

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First Turkey, now Japan starts to balk... Buyer's remorse?

Damn you good, Georgie.

[jenk]

1. security concerns again?

oh I'm shocked, really stunned here......

and soon they'll just scrap the idea altogether. It is too dangerous.

[Don_G]

2. I Hope They Never Send Troops

They shouldn't help prop up a little emperor anyway.

[J B]

3. Political concerns.

Koizumi didn't do as hot in the elections as he'd have surely liked..

[David__77]

4. If Japanese troops were killed...

I think this would seriously imperil the US/Japan axis. There are limits to the patience of the Japanese people for the stooges that are their leaders.