1) I think that what is going in in Egypt and the people power demonstrations and revolutions going on all over the world (especially now all over the Middle East) will have a profound effect on the Japanese people and economy. I think these events point to what I have been saying all along: 2011 is the pivotal year for Japan. Either we default on our debts or we get hit with massive inflation - or both.
2) The other thing I want to say is that Japan definitely needs to get away from the USA and the American Empire. America is just, as Clint Eastwood would say, "A clusterf*ck, sir." Sticking with the USA, through thick and through thin, is a bad idea. Especially since the government of the USA is stark raving mad. Japan needs independence; unfortunately Japan needs to remilitarize and needs to rejoin her Asian brotherhood as an equal partner. Japan can never do that as America's weak little sister.
The riots in Egypt show us just how messed up US policy is and just how foolish it is for Japan to stick with it...
The government doesn't allow peaceful assembly in public places so that means that the only alternative for the people is violent demonstrations. Here's what happens when the authorities start to kill:
This will on serve to inflame the people.
The demonstrations are now taking over Europe and the Middle East. The government's response to demonstrations that start out peacefully is violence... In Egypt's case, siding with the USA is a sure loser too. Why? Because while the Egyptian authorities shoot and kill civilians... They also shoot them with tear gas and other weapons... Many of these weapons have "Made in USA" written on them.
Think that makes the Egyptian people the friend of the USA?
Proof that gas canisters in Egypt have "Made in USA" written on them:
(Read: Former Managing Director of Goldman Sachs: Egyptians, Greeks, Tunisians and British Are All Protesting Against Pillaging of Their Economies)
My friends, we are living in very interesting times.
Thanks to Daily Bail and What Really Happened
Does Japan need to re-militarize to be independent and equal to its neighbors? I say a resounding..."No way".
ReplyDeletePrior to WW2, normal countries did not have a standing army. Nothing wrong with being prepared and stockpiling some weapons in case of attack. But as far as having soldiers and sailors and so forth, forget it. The muscle is only there to threaten, intimidate, and to enrich and protect the ruling party bosses.
Neo cons might bray that China would attack if Japan was independent of USA, thus necessitating a massive military. The truth is that if China did attack an independent Japan, it would be a disaster regardless of how much money had been spent on Japanese military.
So yes, it is wonderful that the regime is crumbling and people all over the world are rising up. Hopefully the people here in Japan rise up too!
Also, it's terrible that the Bank of Japan will probably destroy the Yen. Let's not compound any problems the Japanese have by wasting a lot of money on military spending.
Andy, agreed.
ReplyDeletePerhaps my terminology is difficult to understand. I don't mean that Japan should rearm (Japan is already #7 in the world for annual military expenditures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures)Japan needs to renounce Article 9 of the constitution. That's what I mean by remilitarization. Actually, in theory, by doing so, they could greatly cut military expenditures because we wouldn't be paying billions of dollars to support US troops and US bases,e tc. in Japan