• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Thousands protest in Tokyo against U.S. military presence in Japan

BTW why should we have troops in Korea. At a minimum if it is to protect Korea shouldn't they pay for it?

Because I think it is essential for U.S. security to have a foothold in Southeast Asia because of China, India, and North Korea.
 
Paranoia is not a sound basis for a military policy.

Planning for a second Korean War is not paranoid that place sees its fair share of problems, the two Koreas still shoot at each other every now and then.
Also think of this, South Korea is the only place where the US has a presence on the mainland in East Asia, a very valuable strategic position because of that fact.
 
If the balloon goes up in Korea, we'll have bigger problems than Japan.

That's not the point. The fact is, if the **** hits the fan in Korea, we can't support our forces from Hawaii. We'll need those bases in Japan to support combat operations in Korea.
 
Something for Obama to cave on. To show we are no longer evil.

.


I do not believe that this was the first or last protest in Japan and that it is only getting attention because of the fact Obama is in office. When I was stationed in Korea on 2002-early 2003 there always seemed to be come kind of protest which was usually college kids wanting Americans to leave,so I believe this happens regulary in Japan and anywhere else there is American duty station in a foreign country.
 
Last edited:
I do not believe that this was the first or last protest in Japan and that it is only getting attention because of the fact Obama is in office. When I was stationed in Korea on 2002-early 2003 there always seemed to be come kind of protest which was usually college kids wanting Americans to leave,so I believe this happens regulary in Japan and anywhere else there is American duty station in a foreign country.

Maybe it is getting attention because Americans are waking up to the fact that we can no longer afford to be all things to all people.
 
Maybe it is getting attention because Americans are waking up to the fact that we can no longer afford to be all things to all people.

So that means the democrats have stopped trying to push socialized medicine and are getting the bailout(yes I know republicans are guilty of this too) money back and ending foreign aid?
 
Last edited:
So that means the democrats have stopped trying to push socialized medicine and are getting the bailout(yes I know republicans are guilty of this too) money back and ending foreign aid?

I am for stopping ALL wasteful spending. No sacred cows!
 
And one more thing for China to move in on.

China is not going to attack Japan. I think this protest is a good thing because maybe it's showing that Japan is ready to protect and defend herself.
 
I found news stories going back to '06 about Japanese protests against the bases in Okinawa(most notably the one where the new airstrip is being planned). There have been at least 3 since Obama took office. Why do we think this one is somehow going to change policy?

Oh wait, I know, it's cuz this is the one that caught some ones eye here and they saw it as a chance to bitch about what Obama might, maybe(but probably not) do. And we would not want to miss out on a chance for a random bitch about Obama.
 
That's not the point. The fact is, if the **** hits the fan in Korea, we can't support our forces from Hawaii. We'll need those bases in Japan to support combat operations in Korea.

If the **** hits the fan in Korea, our guys won't be in Korea anymore. They'll likely be nuked, and China will be going nucking futs.

Your thinking is dated by about 40 years.
 
I found news stories going back to '06 about Japanese protests against the bases in Okinawa(most notably the one where the new airstrip is being planned). There have been at least 3 since Obama took office. Why do we think this one is somehow going to change policy?

Oh wait, I know, it's cuz this is the one that caught some ones eye here and they saw it as a chance to bitch about what Obama might, maybe(but probably not) do. And we would not want to miss out on a chance for a random bitch about Obama.

There were protests back in 2000 when I was at Iwakuni and at Okinawa. I guess its Bush's fault too.
 
There were protests back in 2000 when I was at Iwakuni and at Okinawa. I guess its Bush's fault too.

Could be, I only looked at the first page of search results, and saw a reference to a 2006 agreement for reorganizing and expanding one base, so I made a(faulty) assumption.
 
I found news stories going back to '06 about Japanese protests against the bases in Okinawa(most notably the one where the new airstrip is being planned). There have been at least 3 since Obama took office. Why do we think this one is somehow going to change policy?

Oh wait, I know, it's cuz this is the one that caught some ones eye here and they saw it as a chance to bitch about what Obama might, maybe(but probably not) do. And we would not want to miss out on a chance for a random bitch about Obama.
I'll bet that landing strip has more to do with Korea and Taiwan than Japan.
 
I guess he means other than the Phillipines.

Damn, you actually know your history, and remember things like MacArthur, and the Battan Death march, and things like that. That puts you one up on some I guess.

By the way, have you ever read the story of MacArthur and his escape from the Philippines with his family? Seriously incredible story.
 
I'll bet that landing strip has more to do with Korea and Taiwan than Japan.

I would assume so, yes. Course, last assumption I made in this thread did not work out so well...
 
Damn, you actually know your history, and remember things like MacArthur, and the Battan Death march, and things like that. That puts you one up on some I guess.

By the way, have you ever read the story of MacArthur and his escape from the Philippines with his family? Seriously incredible story.
He went to Australia didn't he? No I really haven't read much but I did see the movie. :mrgreen:
 
He went to Australia didn't he? No I really haven't read much but I did see the movie. :mrgreen:

Yes. Read American Caesar. Truly awesome book that goes into his life and paints an incredible picture of him. I learned alot that I had never heard. His time in Japan after the war was pretty incredible too.
 
Could be, I only looked at the first page of search results, and saw a reference to a 2006 agreement for reorganizing and expanding one base, so I made a(faulty) assumption.

Well I remember we weren't allowed off bases because of an organized protest against the American military bases. I was literally running on the inside of the fence on our running trail as they were outside the base protesting.

On Okinawa we were told not to leave base that day either, but I never saw any protestors.
 
Yes. Read American Caesar. Truly awesome book that goes into his life and paints an incredible picture of him. I learned alot that I had never heard. His time in Japan after the war was pretty incredible too.
I'll keep it on my list. I have so many books I've started and not finished, I cringe at adding another. ;)
 
Just thinking...but doesn't Japan pay for the base out of their own money?
I suspect they lease us the land. I doubt they pay the salary for all the military folks that live their, though.
 
I suspect they lease us the land. I doubt they pay the salary for all the military folks that live their, though.

from wiki: [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Forces_Japan]United States Forces Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

The Japanese government paid 217 billion Yen (US$ 2.0 billion) in 2007[3] as annual host-nation support

I got curious and had to look it up.
 
Hmmm....Japan wants to kick the US, and it's dollars out, does it?

They'll be all for that...until we start loading the airplanes up and leaving, and someone over there figures out that they'll have to either re-write their Constitution and pay for their own defense, or learn to speak Mandarin.
 
Hmmm....Japan wants to kick the US, and it's dollars out, does it?

They'll be all for that...until we start loading the airplanes up and leaving, and someone over there figures out that they'll have to either re-write their Constitution and pay for their own defense, or learn to speak Mandarin.

No, some people in Japan want the US to close down the bases. The Japanese government has done nothing to suggest they want to end the agreement they have with the US. Do try and keep up.
 
Back
Top Bottom