Japão autoriza envio de tropas ao Iraque
Por Eric Schmitt :: 15:12 26/07 , New York Times
WASHINGTON - Em uma votação altamente polêmica, o Parlamento do Japão aprovou uma legislação no sábado que prepara o terreno para que Tóquio envie cerca de mil soldados para o Iraque este ano, como parte da ocupação liderada pelos EUA.
O posicionamento estratégico seria o primeiro de soldados japoneses em zona de combate desde a 2a. Guerra Mundial. Na década passada, o Japão enviou pequenas forças para operações de pacificação em Camboja e no Timor Leste. Depois dos ataques de 11 de setembro de 2001, nos Estados Unidos, o Japão enviou navios de guerra para patrulhar o oceano Índico.
A votação de sábado foi uma grande vitória para o primeiro-ministro Junichiro Koizumi, que derrotou as táticas da oposição, uma votação aberta e um discurso para atrasar propositalmente a tomada de decisão feito pelos oponentes do projeto de lei.
Logo depois da aprovação do projeto de lei, Koizumi disse aos repórteres que faria forte pressão nas próximas semanas para ganhar apoio público para o posicionamento. Uma pesquisa de opinião no jornal liberal "Asahi Shimbun", na terça-feira, mostrou que 55% dos japoneses entrevistados se opuseram ao envio de soldados ao Iraque, comparado com 33% que apoiavam.
"No futuro, quando olharem para trás, eles acharão que a legislação foi boa para o país", disse Koizumi, segundo citação da agência de notícias Jiji Press.
O Pentágono e autoridades do Departamento de Estado em Washington elogiaram a decisão do Japão como um apoio ao lânguido esforço para recrutar pacificadores internacionais e doadores financeiros para ajudar a reconstruir o Iraque. O Japão já é um contribuinte líder da reconstrução financeira, prometendo US$ 86 milhões em auxílio.
"Reconhecemos que isso é um assunto importante, e como é um desenvolvimento importante para o Japão, que nós agradecemos", disse aos repórteres o porta-voz do departamento de Estado Richard A. Boucher, em Washington, na sexta-feira, quando o projeto de lei foi aprovado no Parlamento. "Achamos que a habilidade do Japão em executar esse papel positivo no Iraque é um reflexo do tipo de papel que pode executar em questões mundiais".
Um porta-voz do Pentágono, Bryan G. Whitman, também recebeu com bons olhos a decisão do Japão, mas disse que era muito cedo para dizer quando e que papel as forças japonesas desempenharão no Iraque.
http://ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/useg/nyt ... 65,00.html
Japão enviará tropas ao Iraque
Moderador: Conselho de Moderação
-
VICTOR
- Sênior
- Mensagens: 4238
- Registrado em: Qua Fev 19, 2003 5:50 pm
- Localização: Curitiba
- Agradeceu: 3 vezes
End of an era as Japan enters Iraq
Tokyo approves biggest deployment of troops since 1945, as anxious Washington casts around for help shouldering post-Saddam burden
Jonathan Watts, in Tokyo, Saturday July 26, 2003
The Guardian
Japan took its biggest stride yet from half a century of pacifism yesterday when parliament approved the dispatch of troops to support the US in Iraq.
The prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, overrode opposition, a no-confidence motion and a late-night filibuster to ensure the passage of the legislation, which paves the way for the country's biggest military deployment since the second world war.
Never before has Japan sent forces overseas without a UN mandate. In the past 10 years, small numbers have joined the UN's peacekeeping operations in Mozambique, Cambodia, Zaire, the Golan Heights and East Timor.
But no Japanese soldier has fired a gun in combat since 1945, nor have any of them been killed in action because they have been restricted to low-risk activities - such as reconstruction - in safe areas.
Under the new law, however, 1,000 personnel from the self-defence force - Japan's army - will be dispatched into a conflict. Instead of being neutral UN peacekeepers in a ceasefire, Japanese soldiers will join a US-led occupying army trying to quell a guerrilla war.
Mr Koizumi has insisted that they will only carry out non-combat activities in "safe areas", such as securing the perimeter of Baghdad airport.
But they are likely to be seen very differently in Iraq, where no area is free from risk. American officials have also made it clear that they want their allies to carry arms and ammunition.
Polls suggest that the deployment is opposed by more than half of the Japanese public. Support has eroded as US casualty figures have grown. Newspapers carry anxious front-page reports about the continued attacks and deaths in Iraq.
Under article nine of its war-renouncing constitution, Japan theoretically rejects the use of force to settle international disputes.
But Mr Koizumi and his predecessors have steadily eroded the significance of this document to allow the SDF to serve as a more active ally to the US.
In recognition of increased risks in Iraq, the government has raised the compensation for soldiers killed in action from 70m yen (£365,00) to 100m yen.
Mr Koizumi faces re-election as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic party in September. Until then, he is unlikely to risk blood being spilled, so the deployment is expected to be delayed at least until October.
As yesterday's posturing in the upper house indicated, politicians are also gearing up for a possible general election this autumn in which the Iraq conflict could take centre stage. This week Japan's two main opposition parties - the Democrats and the Liberals - agreed to merge so that they could challenge Mr Koizumi's LDP, which has held power for all but one of the past 55 years.
Yesterday, the best they could manage was a mini-riot in which one MP climbed on the table. If they had really wished to delay the bill until the end of the current session of parliament on Monday, they could have done so with a volley of censure motions.
However, as has often been the case, yesterday's scripted drama ended in time for the MPs to take the weekend off.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0, ... 80,00.html
Tokyo approves biggest deployment of troops since 1945, as anxious Washington casts around for help shouldering post-Saddam burden
Jonathan Watts, in Tokyo, Saturday July 26, 2003
The Guardian
Japan took its biggest stride yet from half a century of pacifism yesterday when parliament approved the dispatch of troops to support the US in Iraq.
The prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, overrode opposition, a no-confidence motion and a late-night filibuster to ensure the passage of the legislation, which paves the way for the country's biggest military deployment since the second world war.
Never before has Japan sent forces overseas without a UN mandate. In the past 10 years, small numbers have joined the UN's peacekeeping operations in Mozambique, Cambodia, Zaire, the Golan Heights and East Timor.
But no Japanese soldier has fired a gun in combat since 1945, nor have any of them been killed in action because they have been restricted to low-risk activities - such as reconstruction - in safe areas.
Under the new law, however, 1,000 personnel from the self-defence force - Japan's army - will be dispatched into a conflict. Instead of being neutral UN peacekeepers in a ceasefire, Japanese soldiers will join a US-led occupying army trying to quell a guerrilla war.
Mr Koizumi has insisted that they will only carry out non-combat activities in "safe areas", such as securing the perimeter of Baghdad airport.
But they are likely to be seen very differently in Iraq, where no area is free from risk. American officials have also made it clear that they want their allies to carry arms and ammunition.
Polls suggest that the deployment is opposed by more than half of the Japanese public. Support has eroded as US casualty figures have grown. Newspapers carry anxious front-page reports about the continued attacks and deaths in Iraq.
Under article nine of its war-renouncing constitution, Japan theoretically rejects the use of force to settle international disputes.
But Mr Koizumi and his predecessors have steadily eroded the significance of this document to allow the SDF to serve as a more active ally to the US.
In recognition of increased risks in Iraq, the government has raised the compensation for soldiers killed in action from 70m yen (£365,00) to 100m yen.
Mr Koizumi faces re-election as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic party in September. Until then, he is unlikely to risk blood being spilled, so the deployment is expected to be delayed at least until October.
As yesterday's posturing in the upper house indicated, politicians are also gearing up for a possible general election this autumn in which the Iraq conflict could take centre stage. This week Japan's two main opposition parties - the Democrats and the Liberals - agreed to merge so that they could challenge Mr Koizumi's LDP, which has held power for all but one of the past 55 years.
Yesterday, the best they could manage was a mini-riot in which one MP climbed on the table. If they had really wished to delay the bill until the end of the current session of parliament on Monday, they could have done so with a volley of censure motions.
However, as has often been the case, yesterday's scripted drama ended in time for the MPs to take the weekend off.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0, ... 80,00.html