Japan Considering Exit Strategy From Iraq

[maddezmom]

By ERIC TALMADGE, Associated Press Writer 15 minutes ago


TOKYO - After kissing their babies and hugging their wives, 200 Japanese soldiers in combat fatigues lined up at a base in central Japan last weekend under the "Rising Sun" flag for what has become a familiar ritual — the send-off for troops on their way to Iraq.


But this batch of soldiers may be among the last.

Nearly 18 months into its most ambitious overseas military operation since World War II, Japan is now considering whether to join a growing list of countries pulling out or scaling back their operations in Iraq in the coming months.

A pullout by Japan would be a blow for President Bush, who is struggling to keep such coalition supporters as Italy and Poland on board. Like many coalition partners, however, the troops' fate has presented Tokyo with a difficult dilemma.

Despite the strong backing of the deployment by popular Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, public opinion remains deeply divided over whether the troops should have gone at all. Washington, meanwhile, is pushing hard for Japan's tightly restrained military to assume a more aggressive role overseas, meaning the Iraq mission's legacy will likely loom large for years to come.

~snip~
more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050511/ap_on_re_as/japan_leaving_iraq_2

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[BiggJawn]

2. Puts them a step ahead of us again...

I forget, what *IS* OUR "exit Stratergy"?


Oh, yeah, I remember.....

IRAN!!!!!!!

[Benhurst]

4. Good for them. They never should have joined in with Bush*

and his illegal and immoral venture in the first place.

One more example of the Coalition of the Disappearing.