Japan is a laughing stock of the world -- Akahata editorial, September 29The Koizumi Cabinet is expediting preparations to send Self-Defense Forces troops to Iraq and to contribute funds.
The law to send the SDF to Iraq was enacted, but the government first decided not to send the SDF this year. But, once U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage expressed hopes that Japan's contributions will be "quite generous" and the U.S. president's visit to Japan was set, the prime minister began to say, "Japan must not hesitate" to send troops and contribute funds.
The U.S. president in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly called on members to provide troops and money. But other U.N. members gave him the cold shoulder, and the U.N. Security Council is unlikely to adopt a resolution to that effect. Japan's Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro will be the only shameless follower of the U.S. Bush administration in addition to Blair.
Aberrant Japan
U.S. news wires reported that many countries were "unmoved" by the Bush speech. The U.S. authorities admitted that no one was willing to respond to the call.
Given the fact that the United States initiated the lawless war in defiance of extensive international opposition and that it controls the occupation of Iraq without showing any remorse for the outrage, it is natural for many countries to be reluctant to respond to the U.S request for soldiers and money.
By contrast, how stupid it is for Japan to take every order of the U.S. Bush administration and contribute military personnel and money!
By uncritically following the failing hegemony of one country, Japan will become a laughing stock of the international community.
The point is that providing troops and funds to help the military occupation of Iraq will add fuel to Iraqi people's anger and by no means help Iraq to become stable and reconstruct itself. Instead, they will be obstacles to stability and reconstruction.
In Iraq, public order has not been recovered and little progress has been made in reconstruction efforts because public anger is mounting at the United States for killing and injuring many Iraqi citizens during the lawless war and for murdering and detaining people whom the U.S. forces unilaterally branded as remnants of pro-Hussein forces during the occupation.
Japan's support for U.S. forces will only serve to prolong the occupation of Iraq and add fuel to the Iraqi people's anguish and repugnance.
Japan's support may help consolidate the occupation of Iraq, but not help solve the Iraq question.
In the United States, opposition is increasing to additional funding for the war as illustrated by a sharp decline in the Bush administration's approval rating after the president asked for more money.
The deployment of SDF personnel will be in harm's way.
Day after day, U.S. soldiers are being attacked and killed or wounded in Iraq. Iraqi citizens who are regarded as collaborators of U.S. forces are also being targeted. Some East European governments are considering pulling their forces out of Iraq. Even the U.N. staff are urged to consider temporarily withdrawing from Iraq.
By contrast, Japan's prime minister seems to be trying to please the U.S. president even at the expense of the people and its possible isolation from the world.
The Koizumi Cabinet reportedly wants to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq this year but withhold the plan from the public until after the general election. The government is thus playing with people's lives and holds the public in contempt.
The majority of the Japanese people have opposed the Bush war.
Prime Minister Koizumi, who supports the Iraq war in defiance of public criticism, has no right to use huge amounts of tax money only to further the war of aggression.
Gather public criticism to stop Japan's support for the war
To help Iraq get out of the turmoil, it is necessary to support U.N.-led efforts to help in Iraq's reconstruction, get U.S. forces withdrawn, and restore Iraq's sovereignty to the Iraqi people.
Many delegates to the U.N. General Assembly made these points. Japanese Foreign Minister Kawaguchi Yoriko was the only exception.
Let's increase criticism against the Koizumi government and governing parties for supporting the war of aggression. The task now is to stop Japan's absurd support for the lawless war. (end)