Posted on 10/24/2006 7:34:31 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The first stop on Condoleezza Rice's post-detonation, nuclear reassurance tour was Tokyo. There she dutifully unfurled the American nuclear umbrella, pledging in person that the United States would meet any North Korean attack on Japan with massive American retaliation, nuclear if necessary.
An important message, to be sure, for the short run, lest Kim Jong Il imbibe a little too much cognac and be teased by one of his "pleasure squad" lovelies into launching a missile or two into Japan.
But Rice's declaration had another and obvious longer-run intent: to quell any thought Japan might have of going nuclear to counter and deter North Korea's bomb.
The Japanese understood this purpose well. Thus, at a joint news conference with Rice, Foreign Minister Taro Aso offered the boilerplate denial of even thinking of going nuclear: "The government of Japan has no position at all to consider going nuclear."
The impeccably polite Japanese were not about to contradict the secretary of state in her presence. Nonetheless, the very same Aso had earlier the very same day told a parliamentary committee that Japan should begin debating the issue: "The reality is that it is only Japan that has not discussed possessing nuclear weapons, and all other countries have been discussing it."
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
I wouldn't be surprised if Japan could build a nuke in a matter of weeks if they choose to do so.
c'mon,,,,, how long???
nobody knows electronics llike sony
just repurpose a playstation......
and thats a 24 hr job
I still say; all that has to happen is for W to call the Chicoms up and tell them that unless they get their "Dog" NK back on the porch; not one container of their junk will be offloaded in Long Beach...or anywhere else for that matter. And just to make NK honest, blockade the Sea of Japan.
How do you say embargo in Chinese?
Problem is, you'd then be saying "recession" in English. We are much too dependent on the Chinese. Just a sample:
http://www.alibaba.com
A good American POTUS and a forward thinking Congress should have no concern about Japan taking its turn as a military strong, democratic and independent ally of the U.S., in the manner like Britain has been for many years.
It is time that other Asian countries admit and acknowledge that Japan today is not the Japan of the 19030s and 1940s, and quit using the former Japan to oppose the great, peaceful, prosperous, generous, democratic Japan of today.
I also think the Japanese should quit apologizing for their leaders who pray at the war memorials for their fallen soldiers, even though 14 "war criminals" are buried in the same place.
As misguided as Japan's military leaders were in that era, the vast majority of Japanese troops served as honorably, in their own individual right, as did the vast majority of the men from all the other WWII countries. I don't know how many TV programs I have watched where former WWII American soldiers met in recent years with former Japanese and German soldiers, with whom they shared opposite sides in some particular battles.
If our men who fought and lost their buddies can move on, its time for the civilian people of today to move on as well; particular the civilian people in Asia, who seem to have current leaders that cannot quit using WWII Japan as an excuse to produce unfounded fears about Japan today.
Bump your post. A nuke'em Japan is to our advantage.
I am not in favor of Japan developing nukes and don't see how it would change the equation regarding DPRK. The US would use our nuclear weapons in response to any nuclear attack by DPRK, so Japan having nukes would not create an additional deterrent. The world does not need any more nuclear powers. It already has too many.
Even President Hillary?
I wonder if it would be possible to nullify those bonds.
I'm not sure if she would, but I also doubt she will get elected. I can see why Japan would want them, but I think it is in our best interest to prevent a nuclear Japan.
True!
A nuclear Japan could be a deterrent to a Chinese move on Taiwan and would provide stability to the region. As has been pointed out, there are a lot of negatives for the US if we take sanctions against China. The Chinese know that but they also know that Japan would see any Chinese expansion as a mortal threat and the prospect of a nuclear Japan would give them pause.
Asia should not be in a position where they have to depend on the US as a permanent defender. There is no way to know who will be in the White House in 2008 or after. If we are less of a factor in the equation, there will be a lot less incentive for Asian countries to meddle surreptitiously in our elections as has happened in in the '90s.
The imperial Japanese were every bit as bad as the Nazis.
But could it be done indirectly? Say we get into a world-war type situation. Wouldn't we and our allies be cutting off funds transfers to China?
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