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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| U.S., Japan Agree on Troop Realignment |
| 2006-04-24 |
| WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States and Japan have struck a bargain over a plan to realign U.S. forces in Japan, with Japan agreeing to pay $6.1 billion of the nearly $10.3 billion cost, the Japanese defense chief said Sunday night. Japanese Defense Minister Fukushiro Nukaga told reporters after his three-hour meeting with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld that Japan wanted to have an appropriate sharing of costs in transferring 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to the Pacific island of Guam. Japan has offered to pay $2.8 billion, and the remainder of its $6.1 billion share would take the form of loans to the United States. Japan would shoulder 59 percent of the realignment cost. ``We have come to an understanding that we both feel is in the best interests of our two countries,'' Rumsfeld said after the meetings. Lt. Col. Chris Conway, a Defense Department spokesman, said Rumsfeld and Nukaga held extensive discussions, but he did not have specific details of the meeting. He said midlevel officials from both countries were scheduled to meet again on the issue Monday and Tuesday. Nukaga said both sides agreed that the Japan-U.S. alliance is important, not only for Japan but also for the region. ``I had not expected that such an agreement was possible,'' Nukaga told Japanese reporters, according to Japanese broadcast network NHK. ``Japan and the United States were still wide apart on the issue, and I thought it won't go anywhere unless I directly meet with Mr. Rumsfeld for talks aimed at a breakthrough.'' The United States had proposed in an earlier round of negotiations that Japan pay $7.5 billion, or 75 percent, of the cost to relocate Marines. Japan had said it would pay about one-third of that amount. The United States and Japan are discussing the biggest restructuring and streamlining of the U.S. military based in Japan in decades. An outline of the overall realignment plan was announced in October and was to be finalized by the end of March. However, it bogged down over details. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #18 Brown Tree Snake or the Habu - no difference to us. We love how much both places suck. All kidding a side, Oki wasn't a bad deal. When I was there the locals wanted us to go so the Japanese would invest more heavily in putting resorts on Okinawa. The rapes were definitely and still are black eyes for us but there are other fiscal reasons for wanting us out - as usual. I agree w/Rat about N.Kor but IIRC S.Kor is like our #5 trading partner so as much as I'd like to selfishly see the S.Kor students get a real taste of some Kimmie tree-bark soup it prolly ain't gonna happen. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2006-04-24 22:06 |
| #17 What -- he used to work for the telephone company? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-04-24 18:05 |
| #16 You know of course that Joe is an old operator? |
| Posted by: 6 2006-04-24 17:38 |
| #15 Does our JosephMendiola live on Guam? I'm sure he'd be delighted if a contingent of Marines called on him at tea time! ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-04-24 14:14 |
| #14 The brown tree snake population is now estimated at more than 2 million on Guam no problem, they're eatable. grrr |
| Posted by: RD 2006-04-24 13:43 |
| #13 Gyrenes won't be hanging around in the local fleshpots...There aren't any. Where Marines go, fleshpots follow. Guam is a tropical paradise, given its location, climate, and scenic beauty! It is home to elegant world class hotels, Asian PGA golf resorts, and beautiful beaches. Situated on a strip of white sand beaches known as Tumon Bay, fine business hotels and family accommodations include the Guam Hilton Hotel, Westin Resort Guam, Hyatt Regency Guam, Hotel Okura, Hotel Nikko Guam, Outrigger Hotel and the Ladera Tower - Aston International. uam is also home to a haven of a fantastic diversity of restaurants with worldwide cuisines as Niji, Kurumaya, Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe, Friday's, Capricciosa, Creations, Joinus, Sam Choy's, Tony Roma Ribs and Outback Steakhouse. The island's duty-free status means that name brand merchandise are often less expensive than its country of origin. The variety of retail shops on Guam can satisfy any shopper - from Tiffany's, Chanel, to K-Mart. In addition to outlet shops and malls, the island also offers shoppers with the I Sengsong Chamorro Village, a venue to purchase local handicrafts. Plus, what they don't mention is the large number of sweatshops on Guam and Siapan with Asian workers tucked away out of site of the tourists. I'm sure you'd make more money as a "hostess" than a sewing machine operator. |
| Posted by: Steve 2006-04-24 13:17 |
| #12 Brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) The brown tree snake is a nocturnal and arboreal snake that ranges from eastern Indonesia to the Solomon Islands and northern Australia. After World War II it was accidentally introduced to Guam, apparently as a hitchhiker on military cargo returning from use in the war in New Guinea. In the next three decades the snake spread throughout Guam and eventually resulted in the extinction of 9 of the island's 12 forest birds, half of its lizards, and perhaps some of its bats. It remains the leading cause of endangerment for the few remaining native vertebrates on Guam. This snake has affected humans on Guam in a variety of ways too. Since 1980, Guam has suffered an average of one power outage every three days because the snakes cross powerlines and short out the circuits. And approximately 200 humans have suffered envenomation from the snake's bite. The brown tree snake lacks fangs, but has a weak venom that can be slowly conducted by enlarged rear teeth. These kind of teeth require the snake to chew on its victim for some time in order to allow the venom to penetrate the skin. Hence, the brown tree snake is not dangerous to adult humans who will not allow such chewing to occur. However, on Guam there have been many cases where the snakes have crept into cribs and envenomated infants (see photo at right), who are unable to protect themselves from the snakes. Several of these attacks have led to respiratory arrest in the infants, though no deaths have yet occurred because of the availability of rapid medical treatment in the hospitals. The island's previously thriving poultry industry has been devastated because the snake crawls into coops and eats the eggs and chicks. Many pet dogs and cats have been lost in a similar fashion. The brown tree snake population is now estimated at more than 2 million on Guam. |
| Posted by: Steve 2006-04-24 13:01 |
| #11 Dunno about snakes, but I'm doubtful that a small island in the middle of the Pacific would have snakes. Unless somebody imported 'em. Idiots. Gooney Birds thay have plenty of, however. Mostly they nest on the golf course and steal balls - they're THAT smart. Also sharks and take-your-skin-right-off coral. Lovely posting. I saw a typhoon almost wipe the place clean once. Too bad about the "almost". |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-04-24 12:32 |
| #10 Doesn't Guam have those horrible snakes that infest everything? |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-04-24 12:20 |
| #9 I figure Kimmie would love for us to remove the tripwire in So Korea. He could overwhelm them in about 48 hours and save himself from cannibalistic implosion. I'm sure he dreams every night about those plump little dumplings down south who were born since the "police action". |
| Posted by: Glemble Spins6394 2006-04-24 12:12 |
| #8 This is good. Although this was a strategic location for us, we've overstayed our welcome. Also, the Japanese should shoulder their own load for defense. They're ready to do it. We need to pull completely out of So. Korea also. No need to be there. If the fools want to cozy up to the nutcase from the North, let them. A stronger Japanese miltary puts a checkmate on the nut from the North, and will give the Bejing planners something to lose sleep over. |
| Posted by: SOP35/Rat 2006-04-24 12:07 |
| #7 What's the trade-off? We stay somewhere too long it isn't healthy for anybody. Look at Europe. Japan could easily get ugly in the same way, especially if the economy there tanks. This way the Chinese can be blamed for everything, not us. But we keep a valuable and vibrant ally. Our big problem is Britain. They're going Euro too fast. Maybe we should reach a similar agreement with them. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-04-24 10:58 |
| #6 Well, at least they know the Gyrenes won't be hanging around in the local fleshpots... There aren't any. |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-04-24 10:43 |
| #5 Guam? Keee-rist... My beloved spouse went to some lengths to prevent us being assigned there, many years ago. ;-) |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-04-24 10:16 |
| #4 It's a tradeoff. When we have troops in a foreign country this long, there's a tendency for resentment - sometimes justified - to build up. There have been some high profile assaults and rapes by a handful of guys in US uniforms in the last few years. That sort of thing would piss me off if I were Okinawan, especially as the agreement to base them there was made with Tokyo and there is no deep love lost between the native Okinawans and the main Japanese. A more positive reason for the move is that Japan is working up to modifying its constitution to allow for a full offensive capability. That's a Good Thing, at least potentially, for us and lowers the need for a major presence there of our troops. It would be especially interesting if they took over the facilities themselves but we also had some troops there. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-04-24 10:15 |
| #3 Well worth the cost just to shut up the Okinawin politicos. And to watch the cries of anguish from the businesses there as all those Marine dollars go away. |
| Posted by: Steve 2006-04-24 09:30 |
| #2 Caps-lock blitz in 3-2-1-... |
| Posted by: Grunter 2006-04-24 07:52 |
| #1 Guam? Keee-rist... |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-04-24 01:15 |