Japan is paying Iraqis to protect their troops in Iraq (for real)

[donsu]

http://www.unobserver.com/layout5.php?id=1381&blz=1

Japan Reportedly Paying Y10 Billion (75,052,849 EUR) to Iraqis to Guard SDF

2004-01-26 | TOKYO — The Japanese government is reportedly paying approximately 10 billion yen to Iraqi tribal leaders to provide bodyguards for the Self-defense Forces in Iraq.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office said: "It is rather cheap if we can buy security for our soldiers with that amount of money. In Iraq, oil money is distributed to those tribes. It is more important for the Japanese government to make one-time payments to the leaders than to pay them a salary. That will help their local economy and benefit Japan's foreign policy toward new Iraq."

-snip-

Last year, Abdul Amir Rikaabi, the powerful leader of an Iraqi tribe, visited Japan and Koizumi made a confidential agreement with him in which Japan would pay a huge amount of money in exchange for protection, according to a source in the Prime Minister's Office.

"Mr Rikaabi told us that he would organize 200 to 300 guards to protect Japan's SDF soldiers until the main unit arrived in Samawah. The SDF will construct their camps within double barbed wire entanglements in the suburbs of Samawah and engage in supplying water to the city. The Iraqi guards will provide 24-hour patrols and in the event of a terrorist attack, Dutch troops will help out," said the source.
-snip-
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well, it was very wise of the Japanese to do this

but

isn't this very, very strange?

[MercutioATC]

1. Actually, it's a great idea! Maybe WE could pay Iraq $87B to protect

our troops and we could stop shipping body bags home.

[OneTwentyoNine]

2. Earth to Japan--just pack up and LEAVE!!

No money to pay,no one gets killed. Whats Chimpboy going to do stop all imports of electronics and other goods from Japan--ROFLOL. Toyota just passed Ford as the #2 car maker in the World,camera's,audio stuff and many electronics come directly from Japan.

We make almost NOTHING in the US anymore because or runaway corportate greed. We couldn't stop imports if we wanted.

David

[Aidoneus]

3. an inverted protection racket?

a bizarre form of economic exploitation, but successful, I'd imagine. Bribing these mercenaries must have a good return on investment.

[Warren Stuart]

4. Well it does make sense

You are stuck sending troops into an area you don't want to send them because it is too dangerous. But to not send them would piss off your #1 client.

What to do?

Send the minimum number of troops, then do what is necessary to protect them.

[Karenina]

5. Makes sense to me!

Arigato.

[sweetheart]

6. It makes sense given japanese culture

Cash payments for protection, apology, weddings, luck blessings and all sorts of things are quite normal in japan. There are consultants you can hire that will tell you the best sorts of gifts and amounts you should use for a particular social or business activity in japan. I think Japanese, like Americans have a difficult time taking off their cultural glasses, and presume the rest of the world works on their approach.

... just it is more likely to work on theirs, as it is wiser than the USA's "in your face with a gun white supremecism".