Japan Invites Samawah Chieftains To

Juan Cole 02/18/2004

Japan invites Samawah Chieftains to Tokyo

The tribal chieftains of the Samawah region have been invited to Tokyo in April for consultations about the best ways to rebuild their city, according to az-Zaman/ DPA.

The Daily Star of Beirut recently published and interesting overview of the dire situation in Samawah.

The assignment of Japanese Self Defense Forces troops in Iraq is a first for the post-war period, and is deeply unpopular in Japan. Recent mortar attacks in Samawah has increased opposition to the mission, which is mainly humanitarian and dedicated to rebuilding.

About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page