Japan 'delays' Iraq deployment

Bush's effort to internationalize the Iraq War suffered a serious blow, as Japan decided to put its 1,000-troop deployment on hold.

"If you look at the current situation, common sense says we cannot send them right away," Ishiba said.

"Even the United Nations, which only provided humanitarian aid and did not use force, has been targeted for attack.

"We now understand it no longer stands that if Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) provide humanitarian aid then they will be safe," he said [...]

The paper said Wednesday that the bombing had sent shockwaves through the government and that there was a growing view within the government that any troop deployment would be put off until next year.

The US needs a solid international presence in Iraq, even if is limited to humanitarian duties. Such help would allow US forces to focus on anti-insurgency efforts. And Bush is under increased pressure to show the "international" aspects of his war.

But no nation wants to the dying, as two US soldiers did today, and as 15 did in the UN bombing.

Posted August 22, 2003 09:46 AM | Comments (79)