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CNN Live At Daybreak

Rumsfeld's Asian Trip

Aired November 14, 2003 - 06:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: As coalition troops continue pounding away with Operation Iron Hammer, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Japan and has put the big stick away. It is time for diplomacy.
Let's head live to Tokyo and Rebecca MacKinnon.

What's he asking for -- Rebecca?

REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

Well, Secretary Rumsfeld is showing absolutely no outward disappointment in the fact that Japan has decided to postpone the dispatch of non-combat troops to Iraq; instead focusing on the positive and the fact that Japan has already pledged $5 billion to help with Iraqi reconstruction in the next five years. And Prime Minister Koizumi is showing that he really does hope that Japan will be able to do as much as possible and that Japan does support the reconstruction and democratization efforts in Iraq.

Now, Japan is showing that it is sincere. It is trying to find a way to move forward. A fact-finding mission is going to Iraq over the weekend to assess the security situation to see what might be possible in the future.

But there are political obstacles to sending Japanese non-combat troops to Iraq, because Japanese forces are forbidden by the constitution from waging war overseas, and they were going to be sent to an area that Japanese fact finders had thought before was relatively safe.

But after the attack on Italian troops in Nasiriyah, there is concern that Japanese troops might be sucked into combat wherever they go. And the opposition politicians in parliament are calling on a halt to any further plans, because they're afraid that if these troops do get sucked into combat, that's going to be a violation of Japan's constitution.

So, Koizumi is facing some stiff political opposition, but hoping that he will be able to go forward. And Secretary Rumsfeld is expressing appreciation for whatever Japan can do -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Rebecca MacKinnon reporting live from Tokyo this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.





Aired November 14, 2003 - 06:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: As coalition troops continue pounding away with Operation Iron Hammer, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Japan and has put the big stick away. It is time for diplomacy.
Let's head live to Tokyo and Rebecca MacKinnon.

What's he asking for -- Rebecca?

REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

Well, Secretary Rumsfeld is showing absolutely no outward disappointment in the fact that Japan has decided to postpone the dispatch of non-combat troops to Iraq; instead focusing on the positive and the fact that Japan has already pledged $5 billion to help with Iraqi reconstruction in the next five years. And Prime Minister Koizumi is showing that he really does hope that Japan will be able to do as much as possible and that Japan does support the reconstruction and democratization efforts in Iraq.

Now, Japan is showing that it is sincere. It is trying to find a way to move forward. A fact-finding mission is going to Iraq over the weekend to assess the security situation to see what might be possible in the future.

But there are political obstacles to sending Japanese non-combat troops to Iraq, because Japanese forces are forbidden by the constitution from waging war overseas, and they were going to be sent to an area that Japanese fact finders had thought before was relatively safe.

But after the attack on Italian troops in Nasiriyah, there is concern that Japanese troops might be sucked into combat wherever they go. And the opposition politicians in parliament are calling on a halt to any further plans, because they're afraid that if these troops do get sucked into combat, that's going to be a violation of Japan's constitution.

So, Koizumi is facing some stiff political opposition, but hoping that he will be able to go forward. And Secretary Rumsfeld is expressing appreciation for whatever Japan can do -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Rebecca MacKinnon reporting live from Tokyo this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.