It Makes a Difference to the Sheep

JAPAN TO DAVID KAY: NOT SO FAST ON THE LACK OF WMD'S IN IRAQ

TOKYO — Japan on Thursday contradicted a statement made in the U.S. Senate by David Kay, who resigned recently as the top U.S. weapons inspector in Iraq, that ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

"Weapons of mass destruction existed" in Iraq, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said. The continued existence of such weapons in Iraq is still seen as "a strong possibility." Fukuda also questioned the credibility of Kay's remarks, saying his current posture and the grounds for the opinion should be checked, but failed to reveal his own grounds for contradicting Kay's statement. (Kyodo News)

I doubt that this statement is based on separate Japanese intelligence so it is more likely a statement of political support and solidarity for Bush (or to be more accurate, Cheney). Will statements like this from one of largest economies in the world make a dent into criticisms of Bush's "unilateral" foreign policy? Not likely.