Japan may delay Iraq force

[ze_dscherman]

The deployment of Japanese troops in Iraq may be postponed, following the recent bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad.
Last month the Japanese parliament approved plans to despatch up to 1,000 personnel to help with post-war reconstruction in Iraq, in what would be the largest deployment of Japanese troops overseas since WWII.

But Defence Agency chief Shigeru Ishiba warned that it might not be possible to send troops to Iraq this year, given the dangerous security situation in the country.

SNIP

Japan is not alone in having doubts as to whether to go ahead with its peacekeeping mission to Baghdad.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on Wednesday he might cancel plans to send 400 Thai troops in the wake of Tuesday's bomb attack.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3169401.stm

[Newsjock]

1. Damn that coalition of the willing!

They're not with us, so they're obviously against us. Time for regime change in Tokyo and Bangkok!

[Zech Marquis]

2. no surprise there

If the UN can't stop someone from blowing the shit out of their headquarters in Iraq how will the Jietai forces fare? Especially when they have already been warned and targeted for the same type of attacks? I seriously doubt any new troops from the "coalition of the billing" will be on the scene anytime soon...