Japan Urges U.N. to Halt Iraqi Violence(Japan & others getting all wobbly)

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040407/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_allies&cid=540&ncid=1478

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Shiite militiamen drove Ukrainian soldiers and coalition officials from the Iraqi city of Kut on Wednesday, and Japan urged the United Nations (news - web sites) to intervene to stop the growing violence in Iraq.

Fighting between coalition forces and Shiite militiamen across a wide swath south of Baghdad presents a major test of the resolve of America's partners to stay the course in Iraq. snip


The mounting unrest, triggered by the U.S. crackdown on firebrand Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, will also test the American strategy of avoiding traditional alliances and international institutions in favor of "coalitions of the willing" in a military conflict.

Instead of binding treaty obligations, Washington must rely on arm-twisting and powers of persuasion to hold on to its coalition partners, some of whom face domestic pressure to send their troops home. snip

Elsewhere, Polish troops killed an al-Sadr aide, Muntadhir al-Mussawi, in a shootout Wednesday in Karbala, Shiite officials said. Later, mourners carried away al-Mussawi's body, chanting, "Today we will free Karbala from the Jews."

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[Cooley Hurd]

1. Hi Don.

There's an existing LBN thread on this topic. Please continue the discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x470267

Thanks! :hi: