HOW MANY LATERALS DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A MULTI?:

Japan to back U.S. independent military operation against Iraq (Japan Today, January 25, 2003)

Japan will support the United States even if Washington independently launches a military attack against Iraq, under conditions that the U.N. Security Council finds Iraq in "serious violation" of U.N. resolutions regarding its weapons of mass destruction, government sources said Friday.

Japan has also begun studying how to secure escape routes of Japanese citizens staying in Iraq and how Tokyo should contribute to international society on the assumption that the U.S. will launch an attack as early as mid-February, they said.

The moves follow visits to the U.S. earlier this month by senior Foreign Ministry officials, including North American Affairs Bureau chief Shin Ebihara, who were seeking information on Washington's stance, they said.

The officials found it likely the U.S. will launch a strike against Iraq as early as mid-February when its military buildup will be complete, they said.

If our side has Britain, Australia, Italy, Spain, Japan, all of Eastern Europe, etc., in what sense are we being unilateral? And, if Saddam's side has only traditional tyrannies like France, Germany and Russia, then who cares if we're being "unilateral"? Posted by Orrin Judd at January 25, 2003 2:40 PM