Japan and US Alliance

[teardrop]

With the increasing terrorists threats, there have been talks that Japan might become one of the targets of the terrorists since they are allied with the US but i've also come across and article before that Osama Bin Laden actually sympathizes with Japan as atomic bombs were dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the Americans and that would exclude Japan from the list of targets for the terrorists. What do you folks think?

 

[Mandylion]

Terrorists will strike where it best serves their ends. If that is deemed to be Japan, then Japan it will be.

 

[jigen]

some "terrorists" are just a people without an army- others are just criminals...

 

[noyhauser]

Doubtful, I can't see any Islamic cell attacking Japan. Its not like the Japanese have attacked Iraq or has a stake in the middle east. Furthermore, I think it will be extremely difficult for Islamic terrorist to "blend in" and set up networks in Japan. I think people would be very suspicious when a Saudi national goes and buys ten bags of fertilizer from a japanese farm coop.

Japan has to worry about its own terrorist groups, like Aum Shinriko and the Japanese Red Army, they are far more likely to attack in the near future.

 

[teardrop]

i feel that Japan is finding itself in a 'sandwiched' position - maintaining it's alliance with US for whom their national security depends on and also avoiding direct opposition against the middle-eastern countries from where they depend hugely for raw materials. I think the recent blast and outbreaks of violence in Iraq actually helped Japan 'buy some time' as in sending their people in only when it is 'safe'.

 

[ElChe]

I think that Al Qaeda won't attack Japan because they know that Japan is just a ***** of the US just like most country.Why are the Japanese supporting 'the act of stopping terrorism' when the real terrorists are right there in front of them for the past 60 years.

AMERICA THE #1 TERRORIST!

 

[Iron Chef]

If you're gonna label Japan as America's "*****", then follow suit by saying America = Public Enemy #1... you better be able to back it up with some convincing arguments... Otherwise, hollow statements like yours are nothing more than useless propaganda imho (i.e. country bashing). Prove me wrong.

 

[ElChe]

Ha...Yes,another government probaganda slave ready to hear the truth.Very well I'll back those words up.Just wait a day and I'll have 30 of my friends to help me support those comments that Japan is America's ***** and America is Public Enemy #1.

Well actually I can prove that America is the #1 terrorist in the Globe I have many reasons to prove it:
1.Has broken the Geneva Convention hundreds of times
2.Set's up puppet governments in Latin America to increase cheap labor
3.Secretly funds terrorist groups to attack countries which are a torn to it's backside for example Cuba.
4.The army doesn't care about the actions of it's soldiers,which means the soldiers are pretty can do whatever they want in a foreign country without the risk of going to jail
5.Continually lies about things until they become the truth like Iraq having WMD's.
6.They commit illegal operations all over the world

etc.

 

[noyhauser]

El Che

I don't even know where to begin. Don't go assuming that we aren't enlightend and are just government slaves. I didn't spend half my parents wealth to become educated as a government slave, if some thing even exists. Just because you have 30 friends that all think like you does not mean that you are right. Its really easy to be of one mindset, all you have to do is keep reading literature to support your claims and then claim that everybody else is wrong because they don't understand the truth. Reality is that I've heard many of the arguments that you put forth before, and some hold some water, but most pretty well are extremely biased versions of the truth. If you want to continue pushing leftwing conspiracy theories, by all means do so. I don't usually respond to them because I hoppe people have enough sense on here to fully realize that many of them are incindiary and just meant to be anti american. I hope you will take my counterarguments critcally and openmindedly when I do post, because usually I put a lot of work into my posts because I try to give a fair view on subjects.

 

[ElChe]

Noyhauser I don't push leftwing conspiracy theories I speak the truth.You call me a liar and a radical just because I say no,,just because I don't flock with the heard.And you are being turned into a slave of the government and you don't even know it.That's the dark purpose of school,it's to supress new ideas and free thinking, to make you one of it's sheeps,but I broke free.You should too.You should start questioning what you read and hear from the media and stop sucking it all in like a vacuum cleaner.I don't think all of you here are non-enlightend,people are smart enough to think for their selves.If you don't want to listen fine,it's okay with me.I just tell the truth.

 

[noyhauser]

...

need I say more??

 

[ElChe]

No let's not turn this into a flame war let's just leave this thread alone.

 

[Iron Chef]

"Ha...Yes, nother government probaganda slave ready to hear the truth.Very well I'll back those words up.Just wait a day and I'll have 30 of my friends to help me support those comments that Japan is America's ***** and America is Public Enemy #1.

Well actually I can prove that America is the #1 terrorist in the Globe I have many reasons to prove it:
1.Has broken the Geneva Convention hundreds of times
2.Set's up puppet governments in Latin America to increase cheap labor
3.Secretly funds terrorist groups to attack countries which are a torn to it's backside for example Cuba.
4.The army doesn't care about the actions of it's soldiers,which means the soldiers are pretty can do whatever they want in a foreign country without the risk of going to jail
5.Continually lies about things until they become the truth like Iraq having WMD's.
6.They commit illegal operations all over the world

etc."

*sigh* First of all, you lost all credibility with me once you prefaced your response with labelling me as "another government probaganda slave". You raise some valid points but it's pretty obvious you harbor some serious anti-American sentiment (which you most certainly are entitled to). You come onto these boards trashtalking BOTH the U.S. and Japan and when I ask you to politely prove me wrong you result in typical slanderous remarks... That alone shows that you can not be reasoned with and that you have entrenched yourself so concretely in what you believe that to engage in thoughtful discussion would be moot (and a waste of time).

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. If you have something to contribute, by all means feel free to do so (this is a public forum after all)... BUT if you persist in labelling people as "government slaves" or "sheep" whenever they disagree with you because your arguments (or lack of...) can't be constructive then I will take it upon myself to delete/lock any and all future such posts from you. Not trying to be a "forum nazi" here but there is purpose for these forums and it is not to trade ideologies back and forth with you claiming "truth" using derogatory labels slandering those who think differently than you. If you have any future questions or concerns, by all means feel free to send me a PM. Thanks for understanding.

 

[ElChe]

Okay listen up I'm not anit-American.I love America but I hate it's military based industry,explotation of the poor, and neo-colonialism.I love Japan and I'm tired of seeing the US bully Japan around.And sorry if I responded harshly and I don't try to slander those who think differently from me as I've said in my other post,let people believe whatever they want to believe,everybody as the right to think freely.

 

[teardrop]

Woah... i sure didn't expect the thread i've started would end up with such heated arguments.Well... i guess i should say something ya...
Hmm... i don't think i can symphathize with you ElChe because i'm not an American and i prefer not to 'bash' any country as well. However, i do understand where you are coming from but i think that was hmm... somewhat tactless? offending? when u first began? Nah... anyway... you've cleared the air so ya....

usually I put a lot of work into my posts because I try to give a fair view on subjects.

noyhauser... can i give you a hug? I can see your efforts when you post and i certainly enjoy reading them... so... 4 stars (out of 5) for u!!

👏

 

[noyhauser]

how do I get a 5th??

 

[teardrop]

Post more often!

 

[noyhauser]

... I would but sometimes it just really bothers me to post versus other peoples comments. Like sometimes I read some posts that really make me think... "I can't believe someone believes that". And even if I argue the point they just rely on half truths or skewed perspective to argue my point, which just makes me feel that my time is better spent elsewhere. Too quickly people degrade to posts "America is EVIL", and its absolutely tiresome. And when I post something here of real academic value, only ONE person actually bothers to reply.It just makes me ask, Why do I even try?

 

[bossel]

Originally posted by noyhauser
And when I post something here of real academic value, only ONE person actually bothers to reply.It just makes me ask, Why do I even try?

I know what you feel! 😭

But anyway, there are people who read your post & if you can set only a few of them to think for themselves, it's probably worth the effort. Well, sometimes at least. Or, maybe not? Hmmm?!

 

[senseiman]

Don't worry about posting things of academic value here, Noyhauser. Your essays are great, but they don't really lend themselves to easy debate on a board where most people only spend a few minutes at a time to discuss things, that is why not many people reply.

And El che, exactly how does the US bully Japan around? From my perspective, its the Japanese government that bullies Japan around, not the Americans. The US has bases here because the Japanese government wants them, and even pays for them to be here. "Here" being Okinawa, not mainland Japan of course. Japan is paying for the US war in Iraq (1.5 Billion dollars) because Koizumi is a right-wing suck up who wants Junior to take a harsh line against North Korea. The US doesn't have to bully Japan at all to get what it wants, Tokyo is always more than keen to hitch its wagon to whatever ridiculous scheme the Americans concoct.

 

[ElChe]

Originally posted by senseiman
Don't worry about posting things of academic value here, Noyhauser. Your essays are great, but they don't really lend themselves to easy debate on a board where most people only spend a few minutes at a time to discuss things, that is why not many people reply.

And El che, exactly how does the US bully Japan around? From my perspective, its the Japanese government that bullies Japan around, not the Americans. The US has bases here because the Japanese government wants them, and even pays for them to be here. "Here" being Okinawa, not mainland Japan of course. Japan is paying for the US war in Iraq (1.5 Billion dollars) because Koizumi is a right-wing suck up who wants Junior to take a harsh line against North Korea. The US doesn't have to bully Japan at all to get what it wants, Tokyo is always more than keen to hitch its wagon to whatever ridiculous scheme the Americans concoct.

Okay so Japan really doesn't get bullied around by the US it only sucks up to it.

 

[Uncle Frank]

Imagine having a kid like Che in your class !

I bet his 5th grade history teacher has concidered suicide !

Frank

 

[teardrop]

I totally agree with you Frank...

ElChe, why not put it this way...
Japan has at times showed their reactivism towards US because of gaiatsu (external pressure), but that does not mean Japan sucks up to the US.

 

[ElChe]

Trust me Japan sucks up to the US,Japan is always agreeing with the US on everything and most of the time is always supporting the US all the way.

 

[senseiman]

I don't think the Japan-US relationship can be described solely in terms of Japan sucking up to the US, though I can see how you could draw such a conclusion. The Japanese government doesn't volunteer to do stuff for the US, its a give-take sort of thing. It doesn't do stuff just because the US asks it too, it expects things in return. You could almost as easily say that the US sucks up to Japan if you think about it. Japan's agreement to pay for the US reconstruction in Iraq is one obvious example of Japanese caving to US pressure, but US policy towards North Korea is also heavily influenced by Japanese pressure.
I don't think it is quite so simple as it appears.