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Dispatching troops to Iraq --- Japan shouldn't enforce the risk on the Self Difence Force.

i suppose this issue looks strange for other countrise people. But serious for us.

Needless to say, severe civilian control is necessary to operate the Self difence force. It is necessary all the more when it is dispatched to Iraq where dangerous terror attacks has often happened. Since May when full-scale battle ended, in Iraq terror attacks have still happened. The number of victims of US troop is more than 100. On Aug.19th, UN office was blasted. Difence minister commented then that it was difficult to dispatch the self difence force within the year. He showed his judgment to postpone the dispatch to Iraq to in early 2004, based on that the situation in Iraq was gettig worse and that Japanese general election was going to be held this year.

After that, Mr.Koizumi emphasized on that Japan shouldn't hesitate to support Iraq. Hi s comment suggested the government's policy change to dispatch the self difence force within this year. It is obvious that Mr.Bush requested this.

But although the governmental investigational mission to Iraq came back home on Oct 14th , Japanese government has not show its direction to prepare for dispatching the SDF within this year yet.

Nevertheless, why has it been reported that about 150 within 2003 and about 610 of ground SDF troops in 2004 are going to be dispatched to the south of Iraq.

When PKO is dispatched, the government directs its preparing. But the governmental secretary general didn't clearly say in the news conference on Oct 16th that government's direction of preparing in the case of dispatching SDF to Iraq is indispensable. And he commented coolly that it's up to the difence ministry whether it should get ready or not. This sounded that he's trying to avoid the government's responsibility.

In the special law for Iraq restoration, the SDF is going to the non-combative area in Iraq. The problem is where the non-combative area is in Iraq. The bottom line is that Japanese government has to specify the area and dispatch the SDF on the responsibility of the government.

It takes 3 months to get ready for dispatching. If difence ministry or SDF are getting ready for that without permission, it is criticized for rash behavior. But the government said that it was the minister's problem. Where is the civilian controll?

The special investigation by SDF officer team to Iraq is really important, although the government couldn't dicide to dispatch it.

The reason why the government is reluctanto to direct the difence ministry to get ready for dispatching is the coming genera election. In the public opinion poll, 41% is against dispatching SDF to Iraq, which is far beyond 16% that is for the dispatching. This issue should be the point at issue in the coming general election. The ruling party have to persuade the people and to get their agreement.

It is nothing but the politic's opportunism that the government doesn't give the direction to prepare for dispatching. Without enough preparation, the SDF should't be dispatched in this year.

Mr.Koizumi was criticized for his irresponsibility for the economic policy or privatization of the Japan Highway Public Corporation. But this Iraq issue is a matter of death and life for SDF. Mr.Koizumi shouldn't be irresponsible for the Iraq issue, giving up the responsibility of civilian controll.