The Japanese are on their way to Iraq. Not to nit-pick what is, of course, a good thing, but it looks as though there's a bit of denial of reality going on.
The airmen in the first wave traveled in blazers and sweat shirts, instead of uniforms, to underscore the government's assurances that its forces will not be taking part in combat. They are part of an advance air force team totaling 40 members set to depart in coming days.
Anyway, this is to be Japan's "largest troop deployment since World War II."
