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."
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.
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.
This attiude is the reason for most of the third world poverty today.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.