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| Iraq-Jordan | |
| Shell hits Japan's Iraq base | |
| 2005-07-05 | |
| THE camp of Japanese troops engaged in a landmark non-combat mission in southern Iraq has been hit by a shell, a defence agency spokesman said today, amid mounting fears of violence against the forces. There were no injuries or damage, the press officer said. "We found a mark of impact in an empty lot in the encampment," he said, adding that what appeared to be four other marks of impact were spotted outside the camp by an unmanned helicopter. But no shells were found after the attack. The marks were discovered after several large explosions were reportedly heard late yesterday near the camp in Samawah where Japanese soldiers, guarded by Australian troops, have been delivering humanitarian assistance.
The camp has been on heightened alert since June 23 when a vehicle in a Japanese convoy in Samawah was slightly damaged in a roadside explosion in which no one was injured. The Japanese camp has been directly shelled four times since January 11. Japan, a major US ally in Asia, has deployed 600 troops to the relatively peaceful area on a mission to help rebuild the war-torn country. It is officially pacifist Japan's first military deployment since the end of World War II to a country at war. | |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #6 According to sev milblog or boards the CHicoms have allegedly secretly informed Russian contacts that they will attack Japan iff Japan goes nuclear, including options for pre-emptive strike. For one it surreally appears from these blogs/boards the Chicoms are more worried about Japan dev nukes that they are about the Norkies launching one or a few at anybody, even at Beijing!? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2005-07-05 22:49 |
| #5 The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force also bought a small batch of 16 DASHes in 1968. From Steve's link. Name was driving me nutz, there were entire ship programs built around the DASH. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-07-05 17:57 |
| #4 DASH In the early 1960s, the US Navy obtained a small "Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH)" that could fly off a frigate or destroyer to carry homing torpedoes or nuclear depth charges for attacks on enemy submarines that were out of range of the ship's other weapons. |
| Posted by: Steve 2005-07-05 16:25 |
| #3 Damn, can't find a Janes.... what was that late '50 early '60s remote control anti-sub helicopter that was gonna be all the rage? Lash? Stamps, Not Lamps.... Rash? Leash? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-07-05 15:49 |
| #2 spotted outside the camp by an unmanned helicopter Looks like they been doing a little independent work on RPVs. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-07-05 15:45 |
| #1 All Japanese troops are out on humanitarian missions. If you are shelling the camp, press 1. To snipe at the camp, press 2. For IED strikes, press 3. For VBIED attacks, please hold the line and the next available Aussie SAS will be with you shortly. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2005-07-05 14:37 |