Koizumi tries to block the 'domino' trend of troop withdrawal from Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, March 22, 2004

Koizumi tries to block the 'domino' trend of troop withdrawal from Iraq

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When efforts made on the question of sending troops to Iraq have seriously slackened in a "domino" trend in countries like Poland, Spain, the ROK and Italy which have even intended to beat a retreat, President Bush has finally found a volunteer to block the collapsing dominos ---Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

This very Prime Minister said on March 21 in Tokyo via his foreign minister that Japan not only would not withdraw its troops from Iraq, but would also send another SDF unit to the country. Moreover, he has also decided to provide additional US$20 million for Iraq's post-war reconstruction.

Bush seemed to have found a true friend, or in other words, someone wants to be his "hardcore", while his previous "stubborn" allies have immensely softened up.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchion March 21 reiterated her country's stance on the Iraq issue, saying "Iraq will finally become an ailing nation if we let it go as it is". While visiting NHK television station, the female foreign minister said that "this is absolutely a critical moment that the international community makes concerted efforts to provide Iraq with financial aid and humanitarian support", adding that Japan is ready to offer equipment and materials worth 22 billion yen (about US$20.6 million). She also indicated that Junichiro Koizumi would discuss matters concerning providing additional aid at the end of this month.

Talking about the so-called "humanitarian support", Yoriko Kawaguchi said 120 SDF members had got ready to be dispatched to the Gulf region on the afternoon of March 21. Currently there are already 380 SDF members stationed in south Iraq, shouldering "non-combat" missions, according to Junichiro Koizumi, the number of SDF members would finally total 1000.

However, the Koizumi's passionate and high-sounding remarks are unacceptable to the ordinary Japanese people, who, out of amounting concern over their own security after the Madrid blasts, found their government's speech insipid.

A poll by Jiji Press two days ago showed the number of Japanese people supporting SDF dispatch to Iraq had declined dramatically over a month before. Worries among common people intensified when Al-Qaeda repeatedly mentioned Japan in its declarations.

Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski turned over the first piece of domino on March 18 when he complained his country was somewhat "misled" by America and Britain on the question of possible weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and said the Polish troops were likely to be pulled out of Iraq ahead of schedule. Then Spain and Italy followed suit. On March 19 the ROK also changed its troop-dispatch plan on the pretext that public order around Kirkuk area in north Iraq was worsening, thus producing a domino effect in pulling troops out of the country.

By People's Daily Online

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