When the shooting started the other week between North and South Korea, one of my best friends seemed to jump the gun and started to blame North Korea's Kim Jung Il. Like most people would.
But I smelled a rat. When you stop and think about it for a second you know that North Korea doesn't want a war with anyone. They can't win, and, if things escalate and get out of hand, they could get blown back to the stone age.
No. The government wonks and Kim Jung Il's family all have it quite nice the way it is, thank you, there's no way they will be rocking the boat unless they are really being pushed. Why in the world would Kim Jung Il and the higher ups in the North Korean government risk their jobs or worse?
Everyone knows what happened to Saddam Hussein.
No, I suspect (I'm sure) the responsibility for this North Korea and South Korea mess lies squarely on the shoulders of the USA.
The USA needs to prop up the failing dollar; a war is good for that.
The USA needs to make a presence near China to stir up tensions; a war in Korea is good for that.
Ron Paul spoke about those two subjects here.
Here is an article that spells it all out pretty well and how the USA and South Korea are, for political and economic purposes, swatting a hornet's nest. It is entitled "Spiralling Out of Control: The Risk of a New Korean War From Global Research:
By the end of December, South Korea plans to hold another round of artillery drills on islands lying in disputed waters, including, dismayingly enough, Yeonpyeong Island. Nothing could be calculated to be more provoking under the circumstances. In preparation for the response to the drills that are expected from North Korea, island defenses are being beefed up. South Korea has added multiple rocket launchers, howitzers, missile systems and advanced precision-guided artillery to the Yeonpyeong arsenal.
Now, today, another piece of the puzzle is reported: Japan needs to pay the USA another $2.2 billion dollars a year for imperial stormtroopers on Japanese soil. From Yahoo News:
Japan's government agreed Tuesday to continue contributing $2.2 billion a year toward the cost of stationing American troops in the country. Under the agreement with the United States, Japan's share will remain at the current 188 billion yen ($2.2 billion) through March 2016. The current pact expires next March. Japan had sought a cut in its payment during months of negotiations on the renewal because of economic woes. But officials agreed on no reduction after tensions on the Korean peninsula and worries over China's growing military might highlighted the U.S. military's role as a deterrent for security threats.
(Thanks to News on Japan)
Gee, they agreed on no reduction until after tensions on Korea simmer down? How convenient! And what incredible coincidence that South Korea and the USA were having war games earlier this year when this entire ruckus between North and South Korea started! Thank God for US advisors helping out the South Koreans as they shell North Korean disputed waters!
Japan needs a Japanese government who will stand up to the USA and kick the US troops out of this country. There is no benefit to US troops in Japan.
Our Asian neighbors do not negotiate with us as equals as long as US troops are here and the US keeps interfering in the domestic affairs of our neighbors.
As my friend, Andy "in Japan" so succinctly put it:
"How about a small suggestion regarding Korea. Namely, why don't outsiders like the Japanese and American party bosses butt out and let the Koreans deal with this sad situation? It's clear to me that without USA government troops on the ground, peace would have broken out decades ago and the cruel dictatorship in the North would be more easily ended."
Wiser words were never spoken! It should be obvious to anyone who is not asleep at the wheel that the US empire is dying and they will do anything - even start wars - to protect their position. It's what dying empires do.
It's way past time that Japan got back into the family of Asian nations and gets out of the aggressive militarist US empire.
US troops out of Asia! End the US empire!
If Japan is going to pay the US to stay in Okinawa and other parts of the country (to the tune of $2.2B a year), wouldn't it be better to see the US take action against China and Russia instead of North Korea?
ReplyDeleteThat nonsense with the Chinese fishing boat simply put the spotlight on Japan's impotence. Worse yet, Dmitry Medvedev added insult to injury by visiting the northern islands soon after.
If you're going to pay a mercenary to fight a war for you, you might as well get the most bang for your buck...
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Oh my god, Ira, are you suggesting that America's rulers should start a war with China or Russia? Please tell me that I misunderstood what you said. A war would be disasterous for Japan's people and everyone else, except for the war contractors and their fellow gangmembers.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Mike! I have been crying out for the return of US troops worldwide back to America for years now. Japan most of all has nothing to lose and everything to gain by ending this long, drawn-out, unnecessary relationship. It's costing both parties too much money to maintain.
ReplyDeleteThe US Empire is a protection racket. What would the US do if Japan didn't pay the $2.2 billion? Pull out the troops? LOL
ReplyDeleteThose who would have the US leave every country in the world and return 'home' should be reminded that 'home' is america for many nationalities including Japan and South Korea. Many expats from both nations are Americans.
ReplyDeleteYou sound disenfranchised about the US and as an expat who has lived abroad in many host countries I believe that while the presence of america has diluted to an extent the culture america has been improved by association and assimilation.
I agree that america should focus it's resources on home but I believe truly that it will be a sad day as well as a leap backwards when the US departs. We have much to learn and indeed much to impart to the world as a whole though it is unfortunate it must be done through military occupation.
I am versed in cultures and languages I could never have imagined as a child and would be nothing more than plain white trailer trash were it not for military occupation as well as the generosity of many host countries including Japan, Korea, Iraq and many others.