Troops for Iraq spark fight among Japanese MPs

Fighting erupted between MPs as the Japanese parliament last night authorised the deployment of troops to Iraq, the country's biggest military mission since the Second World War.

Dozens of MPs from the opposition Democrat, Liberal and Communist parties leapt at the chairman of the upper house diplomacy and defence committee as it approved the bill before it was sent to the full house for the final vote.

The chairman's supporters rushed to protect him and a fracas ensued, with MPs grappling with each other, shouting and throwing punches.

"I cannot accept this decision," said Yuko Mori, a woman Liberal MP who was seen kneeling on a desk attempting to reach the centre of the melee.

The vote, which she called "invalid", was a political victory for Junichiro Koizumi, the prime minister, who has a majority in both houses of the Diet and who has campaigned to send peacekeeping troops overseas as he seeks to raise Japan's profile.

The measure loosens the restrictions placed on Japan's military after 1945 and triggers probably the riskiest mission for Japanese troops since then. Japan's post-war constitution bans the maintenance of armed forces and the use of military force.

A de facto military, the Self Defence Forces, was formed in 1954, but its role has been strictly limited.

SDF troops were sent overseas for the first time only in 1992, as peacekeepers under United Nations auspices in Cambodia.

During the US-led war in Afghanistan, Japanese warships went to the region to give logistical support. The new law authorises the SDF to help reconstruction in Iraq in non-combat zones, but sending ground troops is considered a serious step because of the instability in the country and possible guerrilla attacks.

Under SDF rules, Japanese troops may fire only if they are first fired upon. Surveys show that most Japanese oppose sending troops to Iraq. Fatalities could cause a huge backlash against the government.

Hmmm. Ok boys and girls! Get ready for another analysis!

Ok, here we are, back at the Japan fight.
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As with tradition, let's start with the lady in the bright suit. As we can see, shes very caught up in the fight, in fact she is SO caught up in it that we can see she has sprouted a white-sleeved hand from her waist. Kids, this is why your parents tell you not to fight. Now, we had better pray she doesn't fall down backwards, because if you look at her feet, you see that right below her is a spike-looking thing. That would not be cool. Thankfully there is a white napkin there, incase something should happen.
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Now, from about her waist, let's go left, to about the center of a picture. One man has decided in his mind that it would be fun to grab someone by the back of the neck and, with his hidden kung-fu powers, toss him into the fight. No more WWF Smackdown for you! The man he has decided to toss has quite a bad look on his face. Maybe Mr. KungFuMan has cold hands.
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Now, pay special attention to the man Mr. KungFu is trying to toss. Look at his hand. I was wrong about the cold hands--Mr. KF has dandruff, and Mr. AbouttobeTossed can't stand it. How do I know? He seemes to have a large white bruch with a pink handle in his grasp. Even Japan has neat freaks.
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On to the left even more. Here we observe a chubby, short man doing something with the leg of another taller man, who looks like he's in pain. Wonder why. Now, this chubby fellow seems to be having the best time with this leg. This is probably the most excitement he's had in years. In fact, he seems oblivious to the fact that the taller man's foot is directly on top of his. What's that saying? "Me so horny, me hold up leg long time"??
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Now, from the top of this short man's head, go a little NorthEast til you hit the man in the light tan suit. This guy is LOVING it. All he wants is copies of the photos all those photographers are taking. Can't you just read his thougts? : "Aw man, this is better than Sumo Wrestling!".
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Time to travel. From the tan-suited guy's head, go eversoslightly NorthEast, till you hit the man in the black suit and dark red tie. Is it just me, or does he look like he had a nice long talk with a bottle of Sake? Hic!
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Now, go NorthEast yet agin until you hit that hand sticking straight up in the air. Now there's the kind of guy ever gal should have. In the midst of chaos, fighting, and bloodshed, this guy realizes there are cameras there, and decides, "Hey, I'll do my 'heil hitler' impression!", which is what we are observing. Hmmm, need meds....
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You know, Japanese people amaze me, and nothing could more prove why than these next two people. Go from the HeilHitlerman's hand SouthWest, just above Mr.Chubby's head, until you hit yet another upraised hand. This guy doesn't realise that the first guy is doing an impression; he thinks he's waving hi, so he waves back! "Yo, how ya doin'?". And what amazes me even more, EVEN MORE, my friends, is that the man next to him, in the black suit and blue tie, doesn't get either gestures. He thinks his sitting friend is voting for something by a show of hands. So, he raises his hand too!! And yet, though he has all the trust in the world in his freind (enough to raise his hand when his friend does, anyway), he still cups his hand around his mouth and quietly whispers, "Hey buddy,...what're we voting for again?".

Oh boy. Rotsa ruck, Chuck. Join me next time when I analyze something else. Until then, I'm 4mycountry. When then happens, I don't know who I'll be.

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