Japan PM announces Iraq troop withdrawal

[KiwiCoromandel]

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced yesterday that Japan will withdraw its troops from Iraq, ending the Japanese military's riskiest and most ambitious overseas mission since World War 2.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Monday his forces would take over security from July in the southern province of Muthanna, where the British oversee a multinational contingent that includes Japanese troops.

Japan's troop dispatch – a symbol of Tokyo's willingness to put "boots on the ground" for its close ally, the United States, and to take a bigger global security role – won praise from Washington. But it was opposed by many at home including critics who said the dispatch violated Japan's pacifist constitution.

more........

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3706606a12,00.html

[Shawn]

Shit. The U.S. doesn't have a hope in Iraq now.

In all seriousness, the day that Japan can't back the U.S.'s play is a dark day in that friendship. Maybe the U.S. should rethink it's friend requirements when that eager of a friend is shying away.

[moonglow]

Shit. The U.S. doesn't have a hope in Iraq now.

In all seriousness, the day that Japan can't back the U.S.'s play is a dark day in that friendship. Maybe the U.S. should rethink it's friend requirements when that eager of a friend is shying away.

yep,yep,yep

[Wolfie]

Shit. The U.S. doesn't have a hope in Iraq now.

I never thought that they did have one from the beginning. UN troops are still in Afganistan and that place is still unliveable. Democracies tend not to thrive by the force of a bayonet. In Middle East in particular when the bayonet is of a western brand. There is a lot of historical mistruct (and some are quite well justified) over there which is ingrained in the culture. Not mentioned our long standing Israel policey is not a big help over there. Fighting that is a lot more difficult than fighting a couple of yahoos like Bin Ladin and Zarqawi (I guess not the latter anymore.).

:rolleyes: