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Iraqi town has high hopes for Japanese troops
Reuters ^ | 1/18/04

Posted on 01/18/2004 5:02:32 AM PST by areafiftyone

SAMAWA, Iraq, Jan 18 (Reuters) - As Japanese troops ready for their first combat-zone deployment since World War Two, there is a buzz of anticipation in the Iraqi town of Samawa, where the 1,000-strong force will soon be based.

In the central marketplace, banners have been strung across the street with welcome messages for the soldiers.

"Along with our Japanese friends, we will help to rebuild this city," reads one in Arabic, while another proclaims in Japanese: "Welcome to the Self-Defence Force".

An advance contingent of the Ground Self-Defence Force, as Japan's army is called, is currently in Kuwait and expected to move across the border into Iraq in the next few days.

The deployment, which marks a historic change in Japan's purely defensive postwar security policy and poses a huge political risk for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, has caused controversy in Japan but generated huge anticipation in Samawa, a mainly Shi'ite town 300 km (175 miles) south of Baghdad.

The promise that the Japanese are coming -- albeit that the first contingent is expected to be only 35-men strong -- has raised locals' hopes of jobs for all. Tokyo has sought to play down hopes of creating many jobs in Samawa.

"The Japanese will bring jobs for everybody -- good jobs," said Ali Khadim, a student. "Everyone knows about their famous companies like Sony."

HOPE FOR JOBS

In Samawa, which has been remarkably quiet since the end of the war in April, unemployment is seen as the greatest problem, with estimates that up to half the men in the town are out of work. Earlier this month, two people were killed in violent protests over a lack of jobs in the town.

"We are hungry and we don't have any work," said Ali Hussein, an unemployed driver standing outside a newly opened office where locals hope to be trained to work on Japanese reconstruction projects. "The Japanese will help us."

Up to 1,000 people have been lining up outside the office in recent days, hoping to get work with the Japanese.

"We have all heard that Japanese companies will be coming -- this will create all types of jobs," said Mohamed Nasir, director of the government-funded office.

As he spoke the crowd surged forward, breaking a window, and armed guards rushed outside to restore order.

Apart from unemployment riots, Samawa has been remarkably incident-free compared to other areas of the country, according to the commander of the Dutch military contingent responsible for security in the province.

"If you look at the number of incidents, it's one of the quietest areas," said Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Opelaar who heads a force of just over 1,000 Dutch troops.

There have been no casualties among his force since it deployed six months ago, he said.

But there are concerns that the Japanese troops, who are barred from engaging in combat operations and can only use weapons in self-defence, may become a target for insurgents.

During the early part of its deployment, the Japanese force will be protected by Dutch troops and will be involved only in humanitarian and reconstruction projects around Samawa.

The force already has plans to build a water purification plant outside town. And there are high hopes that many other changes will take place.

"Everybody is very happy that the Japanese are coming here to fix everything," said the town's mayor, Mohammed Ali Hassan.

"I've heard these rumours about the Japanese companies but I don't believe it -- although we wish it was true."


TOPICS: Japan; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iraq; japanesetroops; progress; rebuildingiraq; samawa; stabilizatinforce
I think these people are getting their hopes a weeee bit toooo high.
1 posted on 01/18/2004 5:02:32 AM PST by areafiftyone
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To: areafiftyone
I agree. Aren't the Japanese SDF troops there only for reconstruction?

I somehow doubt that Sony is going to set up a Playstation factory or a TV factory in Samarra.....
2 posted on 01/18/2004 5:06:52 AM PST by nerdwithamachinegun (All generalizations are wrong.)
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To: areafiftyone
Japanese soldier: Yea they thumped us fifty yrs. ago.
3 posted on 01/18/2004 5:17:23 AM PST by sopwith (don't tread on me)
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To: nerdwithamachinegun
Yes they are. I just hope that they are fully prepared to defend themselves.
4 posted on 01/18/2004 5:21:53 AM PST by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)
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To: areafiftyone
How do we introduce them to the notion that they might try to fix what's wrong with Iraq, themselves? Okay, they've lived under years of tyranny where independent thought was punishable by death, but there has to be some way we can get them to think about providing their own jobs, starting small businesses, etc.. A light bulb has to go on over their collective heads sometime.
5 posted on 01/18/2004 5:23:29 AM PST by hershey
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To: hershey
That might take a long time. They have to be provided with the means to do it first. You need money to start any kind of business. First they need jobs to get money - then they can save and start their own businesses. Thats the way we do it here.
6 posted on 01/18/2004 5:28:18 AM PST by areafiftyone (Democrats = the hamster is dead but the wheel is still spinning)
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To: areafiftyone
well there is obviously an underlying issue of what maybe the real problem of complaints over there...

no jobs and no economy...

in other words overthrow of dictator was perceived as instantaneous rocketing of standard of living for all, every single person...

it was not perceived as wow, we are free lets make great products as Sony from Japan

its more of a hey Japan is going to give us jobs...
that’s scary to me...

7 posted on 01/18/2004 5:48:22 AM PST by Flavius ("... we should reconnoitre assiduosly... " Vegetius)
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To: areafiftyone
" ... hope they are prepared to defend themselves."

The article says the Japanese are going to "one of the quietest areas". I wonder if all the new Coalition troops are going to safe zones. Doesn't make our troops in the hotter zones any safer, but any allied help, even if largely symbolic, is better than nothing.
8 posted on 01/18/2004 6:41:19 AM PST by AngrySpud (Behold, I am The Anti-Crust ... Anti-Hillary)
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To: areafiftyone; MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; TEXOKIE; Alamo-Girl; windchime; Grampa Dave; ...
SAMAWA, Iraq, Jan 18 (Reuters) - As Japanese troops ready for their first combat-zone deployment since World War Two, there is a buzz of anticipation in the Iraqi town of Samawa, where the 1,000-strong force will soon be based.

In the central marketplace, banners have been strung across the street with welcome messages for the soldiers.

"Along with our Japanese friends, we will help to rebuild this city," reads one in Arabic, while another proclaims in Japanese: "Welcome to the Self-Defence Force".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
People underestimate the monstrosity of Hussein's regime, and the time it would take any nation to heal and rebuild after 34 years of abuse and neglect. This DoD never had any illusions about the time or difficulty of this job. No adult would expect stabilization overnight. Never in history had that happened.

In every poll since our troops liberated Iraq, the Iraqi people are overwhelmingly grateful, and say it was worth any price...including the current unrest, to get rid of Saddam Hussein. And while thy don't want to be occupied, as no one would, they do not want us to leave.

In the smaller villages, as in Afghanistan, the people had no one to defend them all these years. The 'Sheriff' is riding into town, recognizing their need, standing up to our mutual enemy...even if only in the guise of 'humanitarian' support. At least some of the world is finally listening to Saddam's victims...and offering a hand.

9 posted on 01/18/2004 7:17:49 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl
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To: areafiftyone
Oh dear. Someone needs to make the Iraqi people understand that the jobs won't really come until all the bad guys are under arrest. If the Iraqi people want jobs, they should be out searching for the holdouts and terrorists.
10 posted on 01/18/2004 8:01:59 AM PST by McGavin999 (Evil thrives when good men do nothing!)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
The coalition at work ~ Bump!
11 posted on 01/18/2004 10:36:24 AM PST by blackie
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
It's good that the Japanese are helping.

Iraq was a concentration camp for decades and needs all the help it can get.

Obviously Iraqis have a steep learning curve ahead of them--but with no one cutting their tongues out they'll do good.

12 posted on 01/18/2004 7:03:32 PM PST by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Bump!
13 posted on 01/18/2004 11:34:42 PM PST by windchime (Podesta about Bush: "He's got four years to try to undo all the stuff we've done." (TIME-1/22/01))
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To: areafiftyone
""Everybody is very happy that the Japanese are coming here to fix everything," said the town's mayor, Mohammed Ali Hassan. "

This attiude is the reason for most of the third world poverty today.

14 posted on 01/18/2004 11:51:11 PM PST by StormEye
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