Iraq is in chaos. A widespread uprising against the coalition forces has resulted in hundreds of casualties and the targeting of civilians in a desperate attempt to equalize strength through asymmetrical warfare. Kidnapping is the latest outrage, and among the hostages are three Japanese civilians.
To its credit, the government of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi never claimed that the deployment of Japan's Self-Defense Forces to Iraq was risk-free. Even so, the government could not have anticipated that the situation would turn so ugly, so quickly. Despite the dangers, this is not the time to pull the SDF out of Iraq. That would only encourage the forces of disorder in Iraq and terrorists worldwide to increase their violence.
Whatever calm could be said to have existed in Iraq was shattered last weekend when Shiite militias launched an uprising throughout central and southern Iraq.