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US Military In Okinawa

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What do you think about the US giving more leeway for the Japanese to act as the major security force of the Pacific. I do not want to sound insulting, but can they (Japan) be trusted with this task? I am sure they are able to do it militarily, but I am talking about politically and morally based on the past and their current great enemies North Korea and China.

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My opinion on the matter is that Japan is a sovereign nation. Any requests for us to get out should be honored. I'm not sure at what point in history that it was decided that the US should be keeping troops in other countries against their will, but it needs to stop. The US is not part of the Pacific region. Japan is not part of the US. The US should step down and get off the island of Japan. We have no reason to deny their request, and no real grounds to be their. We have things of our own to deal with back at home, part of that reason is because the US continues to try and be everywhere in every country.

As for the Japanese being able to handle it, its not our job to determine that. Its not our country, we cant just decide to stay because we don't think they can handle it. As long as the US insists on being in every country to 'supervise' it, then the attitude towards us will remain the same.

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New US rape allegation in Okinawa

Another US soldier is accused of rape in Okinawa, amid rising anger over incidents involving US troops there.
Ref. https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/a...fic/7256056.stm

Okinawa Military US

I think it is way past time that we get our troops out of places they are not wanted. We have our troops spread all over this world in places that they do not need to be. I say bring the majority of them home so that we can defend our home nation easier than sitting on foreign land and wasting our money. We can do more with our money in our own country and defending our own borders.

Okinawa Military US

We really cannot leave Japan. They do not have enough defense to defend themselves and certainly not enough to patrol the asia pacific. Not to mention, there is still a very large part of their population that does not want a military. However, the premier reason is that if we pull out of Japan, Japan then has to foot the bill for all their military defense. Having the US there has been a incredible cushion for their government to spend more on giving benefits to retirees. Pull this support and Japan will likely be pushed over the economic brink.

Now, as for the soldiers that have committed these crimes, I would say that we just need to turn the next one or this one over to the Japanese to deal with. One of the biggest complaints in Japan is that the US will not allow them to be tried in Japan. The Japanese would be able to punish the soldier and it would send a message back to the rest of them that this will not be tolerated.

US Military In Okinawa

The reason Japan is not able to use their courts of law against our soldiers is because of the SOFA law we have with them. SOFA stands for Status of Forces Agreement. Is specifically says that the us soldiers will be punished by military law or US law if the need arises. Japan has no legal authority over the us personnel in their country. It is kind of a diplomatic immunity.

I think the US getting its forces out is a good thing. I know we pay for their defense but we need to stop doing that and let Japan stand on its own feet. They have the technology to be self sufficant why do we need to keep helping them. I feel the same way about our forces in Europe too.

US Military Okinawa

Japan anger at US troop incidents

Further incidents like two alleged rapes by US troops in Japan could harm ties, the country's defence minister warns.
Ref. https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/a...fic/7258513.stm

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US marine guilty of Japan assault

A US marine is convicted of assaulting a 14-year-old girl on the Japanese island of Okinawa.
Ref. https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/a...fic/7404114.stm