Japan stares down North Korea

Apr 9, 2014 0:49:57 GMT fred said:

Japan is doing sod all, America is sending warships to Japan.
Quite what this conflict has to do with America is harder to see, unless you accept, America is always out to start a fight.

As far as I'm concerned Japan can do what it wants but it shouldn't depend on the US to back it's play. If Japan starts a war with North Korea then Japan should be left on it's own to fight that war. If North Korea is sending missiles in Japan's direction because Japan is an ally with the United States then it's time for Japan to rethink whether it wants to be an ally of the United States.

What I'm tired of is other countries believing that the United States will bail them out militarily if they become involved in a war. Let them fight their own damn wars. The only caveat I'd place on this is if North Korea was to use any nuclear weapons as the use of any nuclear weapons for any purpose is unacceptable. Any nation using a nuclear weapon for any purpose must face retalliation by the five authorized nuclear weapon nations under the NPT. In truth though it would be better if China, one of the five authorized nuclear weapon nations, was the nation to retalliate if North Korea was to use a nuke. This makes sense both politically and logistically as China borders North Korea and it would be a regional matter to be dealt with. The United States should be the last choice in a nuclear retallitory strike.

Apr 13, 2014 21:56:32 GMT fred said:

The U.S. arms industry dictates foreign policy.
They needs war or potential conflict to keep their profits as high as possible.
Pay enough politicians off to start or get involved in wars, and you can have a fat pile of government cash.

Let's be more specific. The investors that own the US arms industry dictate US foreign policy because they reap huge profits from arms production. Of course the workers in the arms industry also profit as the jobs tend to be higher paying but what isn't acknowledged is this is really government welfare as the arms are paid for with taxes and borrowing by the goverment.

Republicans and Democrats that call for the high level of military spending necessary for foreign military interventionism are really advocates of government welfare. It is "corporate welfare" but it is welfare nonetheless. Ironically Republicans have opposed increased federal spending on the infrastucture that is in dire need here in the US which also provides higher paying jobs and that actually benefits America.

They support government spending that creates jobs in defense where much of the investment is squandered in foreign lands and oppose government spending on infrastructure that creates jobs that address a fundamental need for America. How very strange.

Apr 16, 2014 23:05:16 GMT thirdterm said:

Japan's postwar pacifism makes it impossible to defend the country without American help and the two additional destroyers dispatched to the Sea of Japan would boost Japan's capabilities to fend off North Korean attacks.  

The government of every nation has not only the "right" but the "obligation" to defend the people of the nation against foreign attacks or invasions. No other nation can deny or infringe upon this "Right" or relieve this "Obligation" of government.

The "Inalienable Right of Self Defense Against Acts of Aggression" is inherent in the Person and cannot be denied. Based upon this Inalienable Right of the People of Japan their government has the obligation to protect them from acts of aggression by foreign countries.