|
Japan Votes to Send Troops to Iraq
EFLLawmakers voted Friday to send Japanese forces to Iraq to help with reconstruction, despite delaying tactics by the opposition that deteriorated into a wild shoving match. The passage of the bill was a victory for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who campaigned hard to send peacekeeping troops overseas as he seeks to raise Japanâs profile on the world stage. He also aims to distance his administration from the "checkbook diplomacy" for which Japan, the worldâs second-richest nation, was criticized during the 1991 Gulf War. Opposition parties criticized the legislation, saying such peacekeeping missions could violate Japanâs pacifist constitution and put troops in the line of enemy fire. The peacekeeping bill allows Japanese ground troops to provide non-combat support for U.S.-led forces in Iraq. It also gives the government power to send forces to trouble spots around the world to offer medical assistance, repatriate refugees, reconstruct buildings and roads and give administrative advice -even on missions without United Nations support. Military planners are reportedly considering up to 1,000 combat engineers and other troops for transport and construction duties in Iraq. Welcome aboard! Posted by: Steve 2003-07-25 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=16908 |