Should We Leave Okinawa?

[TonyG]

If you get 'Parade' magazine in your weekend newspaper you may have read this article.

Basically, the US has kept a military force in Okinawa since the war. Today there are 29,000 military personnel stationed there. Now there is rising demand for the troops to be pulled out. Okinawa affords the US a place for rapid deployment to areas of potential crisis and to aid in a defense of Japan. These are points brought out in the article.

What is your opinion?

 

[Merelan]

Is someone planning on attacking Japan? Why? Did I miss something again?

That was an attempt at humour. Can Okinawa afford us to leave? That's what I want to know.

 

[April]

I think we should stay. It's a strategically important base, and we have a lot of money invested in the infrastructure. Hubby and I were talking about this last week, actually. He works with a guy who was stationed there for a tour. He (the guy) says that nearly all of the people who show up for those protests the news media love to show, are from the mainland. Not Okinawan. After reading the story, that is my understanding as well. More Japanese want us to leave than Okinawans.

 

[bluntforcemama]

I agree with April. If a war was to break out in Eastern Asia, those men at the base would be the first to fight or keep the peace, greatly cutting the amount of time that troops could arrive. I'm pretty sure that China is a sleeping giant, and it's only a matter of time; they're training an ungodly amount of people in "the art of war," and the North Korean president thinks that most of his population is expendable, and it's largest export is biochemical weapons (thanks KM). So I think we need to stay. As the most powerful nation in the world, I think it's only best that we keep an eye on things... I know I'm paranoid.

 

[Lost Soul]

This country is spending too much money keeping troops across the world. Cut back everywhere, Germany, Korea, and Okinawa.

 

[Ally C]

More Japanese want us to leave than Okinawans.

If one of the reasons for being there is to defend Japan, why do so many Japanese object?

I'm pretty sure that China is a sleeping giant, and it's only a As the most powerful nation in the world, I think it's only best that we keep an eye on things... I know I'm paranoid.

I think China is and always has been a 'giant', and is anything but asleep. I don't think there is a 'most powerful nation' in the world either. Numerically it would probably be China. Nuclear capabilities would render the argument a non-starter [in case of disagreement, break glass, press button, and see what happens]. The 'most powerful nation financially'? Probably. But if you are measuring power in relation to capital, then the self-same capitalist model will eventually undermine any fixed power base. What I mean is that capitalism embraces all, so by default any American [financial] power is doomed to be swallowed up by a future world order [to play the numbers game see the case for numerical power above...]. If it isn't, then the financial power isn't 'great' as in 'good', and at least staying in Okinawa will provide a distraction from this ...

 

[Ambrosious]

Tony_Gam

I'm not IN Okinawa...

 

[R Nitelight]

Would anyone like to contribute to my 'Let's Send Ambrosious To Okinawa' drive?


How much can a one way ticket cost?

 

[Ambrosious]

Nitelight

I've got...


let's see...


$8.43 so far.

 

[Ally C]

Re: Nitelight

I've got...


let's see...


$8.43 so far.

There's no point saving your dollars if you don't have a yen to go in the first place ...

 

[TonyG]

Ally C

That was good...yen LOL

 

[Colopat]

Okinawa

My Uncke Bob killed/1944 a Marine along 5000 others paid for every sqaure foot of that island===That doesn't include American seaman 25 ships sunk by Kamikazi planes= They paid the price already!!! No but Hell No!!!

 

[Ally C]

I see STOP

Posting your message in a 'telegram' format is an interesting and refreshing change STOP I'd do something similar if I could STOP I can't, 'morse' the pity STOP

PS Don't ever STOP

 

[Derya]

Stay

Their economy and infrastructure need us and we need to have a strong, powerful presence in the Pacific. Lest we forget that three of the wars we fought in the 20th Century were with Asian adversaries. When we stroke our ego claiming our superiority we forget the losses, the damage, the carnage we have suffered at the hands of what we consider (or maybe considered) foes of unequal capabilities. If we have faced what we have with Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, it wouldn't take much to imagine the horror of war with China. Our presence in Okinawa is but a small, yet vital display of our strength on the world front.

http://megsplace.com/dolls/hatnature.gif