Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Japan's defense minister calls U.S. invasion of Iraq a mistake

TOKYO: The U.S. invasion of Iraq was a mistake based on a faulty assumption, Japan's defense minister said Wednesday in a rare criticism from Washington's closest Asian ally.

Fumio Kyuma said he has expressed his understanding of the U.S. war in Iraq but has never supported it. "My opinion remains the same," he said.

U.S. President George W. Bush's decision to invade Iraq "based on an assumption that weapons of mass destruction existed was a mistake," Kyuma told a news conference.

Kyuma made the comments hours after Bush implored the U.S. Congress in his annual State of the Union Address to back his unpopular plan to send more U.S. troops to Iraq, saying it represents the best chance in a war America must not lose.

No comments: