US allies' troops to stay in Iraq
Washington’s allies in Asia said today they would keep their troops in Iraq despite escalating violence and a string of kidnappings that have put their forces and citizens directly in the line of fire.
Australia said to “cut and run” would be bad for the war-ravaged nation and global security.
The Philippines said it would keep its troops in Iraq to support development and democracy.
Japan, where the kidnapping of three civilians in Iraq plunged Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi into his deepest crisis since taking office three years ago, said it would not give in to “cowardly threats”.
The hostage-takers said they will kill the three captives unless Japan pulls its troops out of Iraq by Sunday.
“That would be doing just what the terrorists want,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda. “We can’t be beaten by them.”
Japan has 530 ground troops in southern Iraq to help purify water and rebuild schools.
South Korea also grappled this week with its second hostage-taking in Iraq. Eight South Korean Christian missionaries were held by insurgents at a roadblock but were released unharmed yesterday after they pretended to be doctors and nurses, the Foreign Ministry said.
Seoul announced today it would impose a “virtual ban” on travel by citizens to Iraq. The country has some 460 medics and military engineers in Iraq, and is planning to dispatch some 3,600 troops as well – saying today it was standing by those plans.
Australia, a staunch supporter of US policy in Iraq, has 850 military personnel in and around the Middle East country, including troops protecting diplomats and training the new Iraqi army, air traffic controllers at Baghdad airport, and sailors patrolling the Persian Gulf in navy ships.
The government pledged not to withdraw its troops despite the crumbling security situation.
The Philippines said its 96-member non-combat team of soldiers, policemen and health workers would stay on and train local policemen and carry out civic work.
Thailand, however, said a further deterioration of the situation may force a pullout of the 443 troops it has assigned to the southern city of Karbala through September.
“If it turns out that the (situation) reaches a point where we cannot perform our mission, then we’ll have to re-look at our mission in Iraq,” a spokesman said.
