While Bush has repeatedly made clear that getting rid of Saddam once and for all is on the agenda, the Japanese officials set another precondition for logistical support for the U.S. military that is unlikely to be taken seriously by the Pentagon when the bullets start flying:
"Japan would continue to provide logistical support for the U.S. military against Iraq only if the U.S. promises not to use Japanese fuel for military operations against Iraq," announced the officials in yet another ill-fated attempt to explain why self-declared pacifist Japan can have a clear conscience contributing to U.S.-led wars.
Then again, contradictions and military scenarios that qualify as unrealistic at best are hardly new in Japanese defense-policy discussions, although trying to make sure that Japanese fuel will be used for "peaceful" reasons might turn out to be too much of a challenge even for the country's policy-makers.
U.S. ideas for Japanese support in the fight against international terrorism have comprised more than refueling U.S. and British warships in non-combat zones for some time, and every once in a while US government officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, show up in Tokyo urging Koizumi to dispatch Japan's high-tech AEGIS warships to the Indian Ocean and move on to the Persian Gulf when the time comes.
"Japan would continue to provide logistical support for the U.S. military against Iraq only if the U.S. promises not to use Japanese fuel for military operations against Iraq," announced the officials in yet another ill-fated attempt to explain why self-declared pacifist Japan can have a clear conscience contributing to U.S.-led wars.
Then again, contradictions and military scenarios that qualify as unrealistic at best are hardly new in Japanese defense-policy discussions, although trying to make sure that Japanese fuel will be used for "peaceful" reasons might turn out to be too much of a challenge even for the country's policy-makers.
U.S. ideas for Japanese support in the fight against international terrorism have comprised more than refueling U.S. and British warships in non-combat zones for some time, and every once in a while US government officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, show up in Tokyo urging Koizumi to dispatch Japan's high-tech AEGIS warships to the Indian Ocean and move on to the Persian Gulf when the time comes.