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[TarNaru33]

Yep.

The US has inserted its bases and military EVERYWHERE. It's ridiculous. Pull back out troops, and stop wasting money. It should go to education, healthcare, and other social programs to benefit Americans.

I hate when people make this argument. You can cut the U.S military budget by half and it still wouldn't be enough to fund those programs. Also, U.S military budget is only like 3.5% of it's GDP. Instead of advocating for cuts, you should be advocating for more taxes and some cuts to fund those programs.

Unless NK plans on driving a bomb into Seoul then there is no way they can nuke it.

America can afford to pull out troops in a lot of places. Do they really need bases in Australia and Japan? I doubt anything major will happen without their presence.

You seem to not understand how power projection works and the reason U.S is considered a "hyperpower". Those bases are the reason U.S has unprecedented power projection that no other country can rival at this time. In order to do this, U.S created an immense web of logistics through bases, air power, and naval power. Losing bases, especially important theater ones means losing a major hub and will result in the U.S military having to reevaluate how it operates.

NK, can pretty much hit Seoul hard before we can respond to it, even now. It is U.S (and allies) that keeps that from happening with a bit of help from the more sane China, which wants to avoid any military conflict near it.

 

[nephilimdj]

If you have to ask something like that, your opinion on foreign policy isn't going to hold much weight. lol

It doesn't compare to his other conflicts, USA wants Taiwan since the late 70s as a trade partner.
Countries have one of the weakest relationships in the region, its like claiming USA kept Korea safe before Japan invaded because they had a trade agreement.

 

[Dingens]

Yes, let's pull out of all the regions we have interests in and get extremely isolationist so we can see what happens when the world's biggest superpower turns its back on the rest of the world.

Hint: people would panic, trade would be considerably impacted, warlords would act like they have even more of a free pass, and as a result of these, economies would collapse, and all of those things would *hurt* Americans rather than benefitting them.

I don't disagree that we spend way more money on defense than we should, and that's money that could go towards education, health care, etc. But don't get naive and think we should just pull out of everywhere, cut our spending, and stay home. America has an interest in making sure shit doesn't go completely sideways all over the globe, and having an armed presence almost anywhere on the globe is one hell of a deterrent. It's not perfect, and sometimes when the US decides to get interventionist shit gets ugly (fuck, look at ISIS), but America's deterrence factor is a big reason why NK hasn't nuked the shit out of Seoul, and why Israel hasn't gotten completely overrun by literally every country that surrounds it, just as a couple examples.

I don't even know that I'm right on all I said above, but all I really know is there's a larger, more delicate balance of power than I think a lot of us realize, and there are never any easy answers. It's not just a matter of "we waste money abroad, bring troops home" because if it was, I think someone would've done it by now.

sounds like you live in a comic book

the only things that would collapse are local economies around those bases, but thats a rather minor problem. It would hurt Americans, but neither you or me, but those, who are in control of big conglomerates which rely on the US government basically blackmailing the whole world, shaping laws in their interest.

so, if the US military is such a great deterrent, why exactly wasn't there a single year since the end of WW2 without any war or armed conflict (involving the US)?

also the only reason why NK hasn't "nuked out the shit of Seoul" has nothing to do with the US and more to do with Korean history, Korean Nationalism/Patriotism and merely the lack of a reason to do so. They want to merge, not annihilate themselves. Go read a (good) book.

there may be a balance of power, but that doesn't mean that a single country has to dominate the others. We had 2000 years of a multi-polar world, and at around 70 years of international institutions. I think the world will be fine, even without the US poking it's fingers into everything

No way the US can leave. China would skull fuck Japan if the US left. Anyone who thinks they wouldn't are fooling themselves.

also this makes no sense. Why would the attack their best customer? there is literally nothing to gain from this and simple revenge hasn't been a good reason for at least 300 years. The only thing I could see happening would be a china sea conflict, but that wouldn't be just between Japan and China but would also involve ASEAN and other institutions...
Basically: nope

 

[ApharmdX]

also this makes no sense. Why would the attack their best customer? there is literally nothing to gain from this and simple revenge hasn't been a good reason for at least 300 years. The only thing I could see happening would be a china sea conflict, but that wouldn't be just between Japan and China but would also involve ASEAN and other institutions...
Basically: nope

Japan and the US would still be allies, so China wouldn't dare attack Japan. Also, the Japanese could have nuclear weapons in under 12 months, and a nuclear triad in 5 years, if they wanted. However,

I wish the US would just get the hell out of there.

It's 2016. Get the fuck out.

If the Axis had won WWII, the world would be a different, probably a more terrible, place. They were evil, and we haven't forgotten. We'll have troops there another hundred years, watch and see.

 

[dramatis]

I think the reason the military bases are kept nowadays have less to do with military might and more to do with economics, to be honest. The presence of an additional population provides significant contributions to the local economy.

The idea that "America should just pull out" often does not ask the question of whether or not the country in which the base is located wants America to pull out.

 

[Spoiled Milk]

You know what's happening in Okinawa... It's terrible. It's so very terrible. We just don't know what's going on. And until we figure out what's going on, we gotta put a stop to it.

I, Kristoffer A. Neogaf, an calling for a complete and total shutdown of America sailors from coming into the country of Japan. It's just gotta be done, there's no other way.

 

[Mr.Squirrel]

I wish the US would just get the hell out of there.

It's 2016. Get the fuck out.

America is a military empire. We're never leaving.

 

[PeskyToaster]

sounds like you live in a comic book

the only things that would collapse are local economies around those bases, but thats a rather minor problem. It would hurt Americans, but neither you or me, but those, who are in control of big conglomerates which rely on the US government basically blackmailing the whole world, shaping laws in their interest.

so, if the US military is such a great deterrent, why exactly wasn't there a single year since the end of WW2 without any war or armed conflict (involving the US)?

also the only reason why NK hasn't "nuked out the shit of Seoul" has nothing to do with the US and more to do with Korean history, Korean Nationalism/Patriotism and merely the lack of a reason to do so. They want to merge, not annihilate themselves. Go read a (good) book.

there may be a balance of power, but that doesn't mean that a single country has to dominate the others. We had 2000 years of a multi-polar world, and at around 70 years of international institutions. I think the world will be fine, even without the US poking it's fingers into everything




also this makes no sense. Why would the attack their best customer? there is literally nothing to gain from this and simple revenge hasn't been a good reason for at least 300 years. The only thing I could see happening would be a china sea conflict, but that wouldn't be just between Japan and China but would also involve ASEAN and other institutions...
Basically: nope

They aren't trying to prevent small conflicts, they are trying to prevent a repeat of the first half of the 20th century brought on, in part, by the multi-polar world. Also those international institutions would be completely ineffective without US monetary and military aid. There may come a time when the US needs to retract but I don't think it's now.

 

[HK-47]

I think the reason the military bases are kept nowadays have less to do with military might and more to do with economics, to be honest. The presence of an additional population provides significant contributions to the local economy.

The idea that "America should just pull out" often does not ask the question of whether or not the country in which the base is located wants America to pull out.

Thats what I wanna know.

 

[Trojita]

Fuck this guy if he did it. Hopefully there is verifiable proof he did it (rape kit etc.).

Usually the mid to younger age population and businesses are either neutral or positive towards having the bases there. The older population is usually vocally angry about the bases.

 

[Miletius]

This happens fairly often, unfortunately. I know when I was there (early 00's) there was another case going on about a group of marines.

It sucks because they are there, in part, as representatives from the United States. So when something like this happens of course people are upset.

 

[entremet]

I don't think China has any plans to invade Japan, regardless of whether or not the US has a base in Okinawa, they will get into a fight with America and they don't get a whole lot to gain from that.
In fact, they really don't have a whole lot to gain from invading Japan in general.

Correct.

They're also massive trade partners.

China won't be happy with more expanded Japanese military, though. They've already expressed their displeasure with recent moves by Abe in this area.

 

[Walpurgis]

Another one.

A 33-year-old U.S. military servicemember was arrested at Narita International Airport early Friday after he repeatedly touched the [19 year old] student – who was sitting next to him on the plane -- on the thigh, then punched her in the head several times, according to Japanese news reports. The alleged assault took place over a period of about 90 minutes. Flight attendants helped the student move to a new seat and reported the incident to police upon arrival in Tokyo.

It seems that they don't view these women as human but rather as objects.

The 1995 arrest and convictions of three U.S. servicemen for kidnapping and raping a 12-year-old girl on Okinawa sparked massive protests and led to negotiations to move the Futenma base and scale back the U.S. military presence. It also led to the resignation of the top U.S. military commander in the Pacific.

Good god. I feel sorry for the residents of Okinawa.

 

[frequency]

I think the reason the military bases are kept nowadays have less to do with military might and more to do with economics, to be honest. The presence of an additional population provides significant contributions to the local economy.

The idea that "America should just pull out" often does not ask the question of whether or not the country in which the base is located wants America to pull out.

Thats what I wanna know.

Yes. Okinawans want the bases gone.
Mainland Japan maybe less so. Well those mainland jerks can have the bases if they like them so much.

 

[Frozenprince]

Another one.

It seems that they don't view these women as human but rather as objects.

Good god. I feel sorry for the residents of Okinawa.

Because of rare instances of these horrible things happening?

It's not like every sailor is a rapist, there are 47,000 enlisted men and women in Japan, this is just a series of allegedly bad people (nobody has been convicted on these latest incidents so maybe we should hold off on the pyres?) doing bad things.

That doesn't paint a brush for every servicemen.

 

[Dennis]

A 33-year-old U.S. military servicemember was arrested at Narita International Airport early Friday after he repeatedly touched the [19 year old] student – who was sitting next to him on the plane -- on the thigh, then punched her in the head several times, according to Japanese news reports.

WTF

Sounds like a complete psycho.

 

[PeskyToaster]

Damn that escalated, wtf.

 

[djplaeskool]

WTF

Sounds like a complete psycho.

Boy, that escalated quickly...

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Yep.

The US has inserted its bases and military EVERYWHERE. It's ridiculous. Pull back out troops, and stop wasting money. It should go to education, healthcare, and other social programs to benefit Americans.

The military does have a disproportionate problem when it comes to funding yes, but Strategic military bases like this are not the issue and would be incredibly stupid to lose.

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

Because of rare instances of these horrible things happening?

It's not like every sailor is a rapist, there are 47,000 enlisted men and women in Japan, this is just a series of allegedly bad people (nobody has been convicted on these latest incidents so maybe we should hold off on the pyres?) doing bad things.

That doesn't paint a brush for every servicemen.

This is not going to stop people from making generalizations.

 

[Ogodei]

Can't happen due to post WW2 treaties. They have a very small military, it's just limited in scope due to these treaties.

It would not be sufficient for a country of they're size and economic power if we just left.

It's constitutionally bound, though the LDP's been keen on pushing the limit of that since 2000.

 

[Frozenprince]

It's constitutionally bound, though the LDP's been keen on pushing the limit of that since 2000.

Which is fucking stupid there are far more pressing needs domestically. Like, you know, the housing economy that's still not recovered from the collapse 25 years ago.

 

[Darksol]

Another one.

It seems that they don't view these women as human but rather as objects.

Good god. I feel sorry for the residents of Okinawa.

Christ