Japan halts Iraq troop dispatch

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/11/12/sprj.irq.japan.troops.ap/

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- The attack on Italian forces in Iraq will force Japan to postpone its dispatch of troops to that country until sometime next year, a top government spokesman said Thursday.

Japan was hoping to send its first batch of troops to Iraq to help rebuild the country by the end of 2003. But Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said the security situation is not yet stable enough.

He said caution must be taken before the decision to send the troops is made.

"We could sent the troops if circumstances permit," he told a news conference. "But there is no such situation."
<snip>

First the operative word was postpone and now they've gone to halt... Smart folks on those little islands.

[Nevernose]

1. "To help rebuild the country..."

Funny, I've worked construction before, and very rarely did it "building" involve "troops."

[Don_G]

3. Probably Different Training

Japanese Self Defense Forces---in a country where fire is feared and earthquakes are common---probably have different requirements and training than US troops.

[Art_from_Ark]

4. Completely different

Japanese Self-Defense Forces are trained to defend their country. Period.

This whole situation does Japan no good at all. The SDF are ill-prepared to deal with the situation in Iraq, since the language, culture, landscape, climate, etc., there are so vastly different from what is in Japan. Moreover, it is bound to rankle neighbors like China and the Koreas, which abhor the thought of Japan sending troops overseas.

[ugarte]

2. Bushy's gonna be pissed

He looked into Koziumi's eyes.

[Dr Fate]

5. The UN is "irrelevant"- thank God for the mighty Coalition of the Willing!

Always ready to back us up with troops and their share of of the $$$87 BILLION dollars-

Just like Bush/media promised us!!!

All us worry worts who wanted more international support must admit that this "Coalition of the Willing" is much better than that "tea party" over at the UN...

[cliss]

6. I'd say the Japanese are

being "courteous". They don't want to anger Big Bush by saying no because they are frightfully afraid of Big China across the bay and they need US military support.

They don't really want to go, because sending their troops will anger the Japanese, who are very much against sending reinforcements.

What to do? Stall. Hedge. Come up with any excuse you can think of. They're no dummies. They know that the situation will soon become Dante's Inferno, and they can rightfully say they can't go in there. Which is the right thing to do, by the way. Let the US tighten its own noose.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. Not particularly afraid of Big China

Japan is a golden goose for China. The Chinese aren't going to invade or attack Japan.

But I think Japan is afraid of getting big tariffs slapped on 30% of its export market. That would really hurt.

[PurityOfEssence]

7. Have they thought about sending that woman in the pink suit?

Hell, she might be able to end this whole thing in a weekend.

[gratuitous]

9. No, no, I really have to wash my hair

Can't make it tonight. My car won't start. The train had a flat tire. I couldn't get a cab. My uniform didn't come back from the cleaners in time. You wanted us in Iraq THIS November? My watch stopped. But the Chiefs are 9-0.

Feel free to add your own excuse. You're going to see it sooner or later from some member of the Coalition of the Billing.

[Beetwasher]

11. LOL!

Uhhh, no tickee no shirtee?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. HAIIIII!!! (that's Japanese for YESSSSS!!!)

[pfitz59]

12. Japanese hissing bow......

Hari kari now, or later! To Bush*: "Here, borrow my sword...."

[samsingh]

13. Japan is protecting its soldiers

bush doesn't care

[hertopos]

14. FYI--- from what happened in Japan recently...

The change of tone was set before any of recent death tolls in Iraqi,
They had a national election and Koizumi's own LDP lost majority, though they can still hold majority as a coalition with Komei-party and conservative party ( they lost even more than LDP and incidentally merged with LDP.)

So who gained? Democratic Party led by Mr. Suga. After more then 50 years since the last war, Japanese politics finally is growing into 'real two party system'.

Majority of Japanese are anti-war and against sending their defense force to Iraqi. Because of much skewed districting for electoral vote, votes by mostly very conservative voters from rural area weigh many times more than votes by more moderate to liberal urban dwellers. Though conservative and liberal is not in a same line with U.S. counter part. For example, even very conservative LDP are very serious about environment and energy issues. (We have been that way since 70’s, very first oil shock.) At the same time, Tokyo’s governor is rather right wing Ishiwara; however, he is right wing and very anti-American, which is part of the reason why he was elected by moderate to liberal Tokyo dwellers.

I check Japanese news paper site daily and I am originally from Japan. Sometimes even very docile Japanese speak up.

Hertopos

[karlschneider]

15. I haven't been to Japan in several years, but I thought their Constitution

prohibited send troops to outside conflicts....??
konnichi-wa!

[hertopos]

19. Yes, legally speaking our defense force is unconstitutional..

My family and I will visit Japan this winter.
For me, it is since 1994...

Hertopos

[Art_from_Ark]

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[Barrett808]

16. Another victory for the insurgency

Bring the troops home now.

[Demonaut]

17. Wont go at all

No way will the japanese go to Iraq...

[Terran]

18. This is the "insurgent" strategy in action

Chase out everyone in the international community, isolate the US and and the British forces. They know as well as anyone here that the 'coalition' cannot maintain control of things without help. They want to oust the US from Iraq? This is the way to do it. Bush's pleas to the world for help are falling apart as a direct result of the insurgents' actions.

[DeaconBlues]

21. Too bad it takes the possiblity of negative political repurcusions

(the death of troops)for Japan to follow its own constitution. I guess they're more like Americans than I thought.

[Art_from_Ark]

22. This is not something that Japan is really volunteering to do

It's just that whenever there is a Bu$h in office, there is a war in Iraq, and the Bu$hes put pressure on Japan to provide troops. Last time (1991), Japan provided only money (15 billion big ones), but they were severely criticized by the Bu$h 1 administration for not providing troops as well (and were never thanked for providing the money, even though it exacerbated Japan's recession at the time). In the present case, I believe there is some economic strongarming going on. Remember, Japan's export-driven economy is 30% dependent on the American market.

For what it's worth, I know a family that works for the Japanese government. They say "If Koizumi wants to send troops to Iraq, let him be the first to go!" No one I know has expressed any support for this action.

[DeaconBlues]

23. I didn't mean to suggest that the average Japanese citizen was gungho

to get involved in the war. Instead, I mean't that it seems that they have politicians who care little about the country's constitution (just like many of our own politicians show little respect for our own).

As far as the Bushies intimidating the Japanese into getting into the war - why wouldn't they? They've done it to every other country in the world, why not Japan? The "coalition of the willing" should be called the coalition of the bullied.

[opihimoimoi]

24. Rummy is on his way there.... sh9ould land in a few hours

if not already.

Stung by this latest flap, Rummy is going to chummy up Koizumi and change his mind. He will try. won;t get too far.

[Art_from_Ark]

25. I dunno about that

Koizumi seems to have developed a case of the "I've got my mandate" syndrome