Japanese troops deploying to Iraq wearing blazers and sweat shirts

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031226/ap_on_re_mi_ea/japan_iraq&cid=540&ncid=1480

<snip>Reflecting the government's assurances that its forces will not become involved in combat, the airmen who flew Friday from Narita International Airport wore blazers and sweat shirts rather than military uniforms. They are part of an advance air force team totaling 40 members set to depart in coming days.

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[Voltaire99]

1. Coalition of the smart-dressed!

Better off in blazers and sweat shirts than in a casket built by Halliburton.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. I hope they all come home, just as our boys and girls

but how much do all of you want to bet that they will be targetted SOON after they arrive en force?

[burrowowl]

3. Hope the blazers

are bulletproof!

[TexasMexican]

7. well the japanese do...

have pretty cool gadgets.

[snippy]

4. Reminds me of the Danish troops and their snow shovels.

Jul 10, 10:56 am ET

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish security forces in Iraq, struggling with temperatures around 120 degrees, are prepared for the worst -- even a blizzard.

The almost 400 soldiers from the chilly Nordic are equipped with snow shovels, brooms and a lawnmower as they work to restore law and order in the war-torn country.

http://news.excite.com/odd/article/id/339476%7Coddlyenough%7C07-10-2003::11:04%7Creuters.html

[cliss]

5. I wonder what Rums-filled told them?

Did he tell them to stop for a cup of latte at the Local Baghdad Starbucks?

He might have given them travel brochures on Sunny Iraq in December: Paradise. "Visit Ancient Babylon, see historic treasures (whatever's left), stroll along the Lovely Tigris River". An unforgettable voyage. Bon Voyage.

Imagine Koizumi's rage (and much more so the Japanese people, who opposed this all along) when the first soldier falls. The Iraqi resistance fighters see no difference between US soldiers, or Polish or Spanish troops. They are all THE ENEMY in their eyes.

It sometimes seems like they are particularly targeting forces there, peacekeeping or not.

Good luck to them. They're going to need it.

[hellhathnofury]

6. As much as I like the idea of foreign involvement in Iraq,

I don't like the idea of Japanese troops going. Currently, Japan is largely a pacifist nation and I fear this could rock their boat a little bit. Their national consciousness is already reeling from economic depression and cultural transition, they don't need old militarism issues rearrising.

[TexasMexican]

8. Do you think that with American prodding...

that Japan would become remilitarized? Are we on that path? Could we use the Islamic threat, the Chinese threat, the North Korean threat to do it? Would the Japanese population go along?

[Zech Marquis]

9. this is going to bie Koizuumi in the ass real quick

the resistance fighters told Japan pint bland,"if you send ANY of your Jietai troops here, we WILL target them!" And I don't think the Japanese people will stand around and suck on their fingers when the first one is killed either.

[ret5hd]

10. I wanna see the U.S. troops start teasing 'em...

callin' 'em pussies and schoolboys and stuff...

Then watch those Japanese show 'em a little Jackie Chan stuff...

I know...how immature...