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| East Asia |
| "Yankee Go Home!" ; Okinawa Governor Pouts |
| 2003-11-17 |
| Okinawa has asked the US to reduce or relocate American military bases on the island and to remove large numbers of US Marines, which its Governor says would lower the crime rate. It would also remove the major source of income. Keiichi Inamine made the plea to the US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, who visited Japan and South Korea to discuss bilateral security and Pentagon plans to realign the postwar US military global "footprint". In an unusual act of public diplomacy, the Okinawa Government decided that news organisations would be present at Sunday’s meeting between Mr Rumsfeld and Mr Inamine, ensuring that the Governor’s request would receive a wide airing. Wants his face on TV. Mr Rumsfeld listened to the Governor’s list of complaints, challenging some of them including noise pollution, the level of military training conducted in Okinawa and the Navy’s effect on marine wildlife. After nearly 40 minutes, Mr Rumsfeld said it was time to end the discussion. "We’ve listened," he said politely but firmly. I’d say thats a "No". |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #11 BEING STATIONED IN OKINAWA I HAVE SEEN IT ALL, THE OKINAWINS NEEDS US THERE, THE PLACE IS A DUMP,WE HAVE HELP THEM REBUILD, IN MY OPINION, WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER GIVEN THE ISLAND BACK, THEY ARE LUCKY WE EVEN DID. BEGGERS CAN NOT BE CHOOSEY. |
| Posted by: US MARINE SSGT 2004-05-26 6:05:59 PM |
| #10 I think a few of them might be morning regrets rather than rapes but everytime it happens everyone gets in an uproar and logic goes out the window. That's the rub - is rape being defined the way it is here in the U.S.? If it is, I haven't heard it mentioned here in the news. After all, rape is a serious matter, and given that U.S. service personnel are involved, could potentially be a big deal. But there's nary a peep about it, on broadcast news or in the newspaper. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-11-17 9:35:34 PM |
| #9 BH - good to go bro - so long as you didn't keep the banana peel. LOL. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2003-11-17 2:34:58 PM |
| #8 This may also be tied to al-Qaeda's threat to Japan if it helps us in Iraq. All of Japan, including Okinawa, is probably pretty worried, given both the NorKs and al-Q affiliates in south east Asia. My guess is that they don't want to be collateral damage in an attack on the US presence there. Of course, all the behavior that comes when troops have been stationed in a foreign place without the threat of immediate combat ... well, that hasn't helped either. |
| Posted by: rkb 2003-11-17 2:29:05 PM |
| #7 More rapes than would seem likely. I think a few of them might be morning regrets rather than rapes but everytime it happens everyone gets in an uproar and logic goes out the window. |
| Posted by: Yank 2003-11-17 1:54:35 PM |
| #6 There are rapes there, seems to be quite a few. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-11-17 1:37:33 PM |
| #5 What the article doesn't mention is just what it is the Marines are doing that Inamine considers to be "crime". |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-11-17 12:59:28 PM |
| #4 They can keep that place. Fine by me. Turn it into Japanese resorts - Oriental key f*ckin' west. Send us to Australia or back to the good ole' USA. Jack's right - The whole trip up from Kadena AB to where I stayed on Camp Schwab smelled like someone blew chili out their ass. Always made me enjoy the day after a hard night of Habu Saki & "buy-me drinkie" girls in Naha. God, I loved how much that place sucked. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2003-11-17 11:11:47 AM |
| #3 They should be pulled out, moved to Guam instead. Either that or seal the base so that the Marines can't get out to cause trouble, or spend their paychecks. I think the Okinawa citizens would have a change of heart then. |
| Posted by: Yank 2003-11-17 11:09:44 AM |
| #2 I agree, there is no place like home away from the Rock. Geez, I only wish Rummy could have been me in the 60's and experienced that god-forsaken hell hole that will always smell of rotten fish. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2003-11-17 10:54:31 AM |
| #1 The Marines cause trouble wherever they go, thank God. |
| Posted by: Matt 2003-11-17 10:51:52 AM |