Okinawa's Governor Pleads for US Occupiers To Leave Over 50 Years Later

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA5993A3ND.html

Okinawa's Governor Pleads for Reduction in U.S. Forces on Japanese Island

NAHA, Okinawa (AP) - Okinawa's governor pleaded with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Sunday to remove some of the 28,000 U.S. forces stationed on this Japanese island and ease the environmental impact of military facilities.

In a meeting at his offices, Gov. Keiichi Inamine told Rumsfeld he understood that on matters of defense he had to defer to the national government in Tokyo. But he urged Rumsfeld to accept that Okinawans bear too much of Japan's burden as hosts of Air Force, Navy, Army and Marine Corps bases.

"It has been 58 years" since Japan surrendered to U.S. forces to end World War II, Inamine said through an interpreter, and the U.S. military presence has become an economic and social impediment.

Rumsfeld replied that he was not ready to make any decisions about changes on Okinawa because the Pentagon is studying its entire global network of bases, of which Okinawa is an important element. The Pentagon chief reminded Inamine that "this part of the world has seen peace" with U.S. forces present.

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[sweetheart]

1. in the name of democracy

we should get the hell out of okinawa. The political chips traded to keep repressing the local voices of the people, and the horrible crime of american soldiers raping and environmentally wrecking those people's land have really been too much. It is time we respected democracy.

Rumsfuck does not respect any democracy he can't bomb and subvert... doubtful he'll do anything. The japanese should impose huge charges for the base, and set an escalating charge for every aircraft to land there and every ship.. that way, the cost of maintaining the bases will eventually become too much. As it stands, okinawa is just like the west bank... just the local japanese people do not use violence... but we steal from them. Its ugly and very "unamerican".

[cjm2222]

2. We also supply a lot of jobs to many who live in Okinawa

Some want us gone, others don't. We should definitely look at the impact the bases have on the environment, though. However, I find this argument a bit lame coming from an area (Okinawa) where they regularly hunt dolphins. Recently, I believe it was of the coast of Okinawa, local fishermen had a dolphin kill. Disgusting. Dozens of dolphins were hunted and killed.

[sweetheart]

3. how about democratic choice?

It seems the people of okinawa don't want us there. Is that not enough? The using of firing ranges and the typical toxic dump of american bases over 50 years (if stateside bases are any example)... the dolphin hunting of the locals is hardly significant by comparison... also that american GI's are not held to japanese law regarding local pregnancies and such... its all just way too undemocratic... rapes also.

They all had jobs before americans came, and they'll all have them after americans leave.