lifestyle

SDF playing major role in tsunami relief

12 Comments
By Eric Talmadge

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This article points out that Japan is quite happy with their military in the form of a self-defense force, so there would be no point in the DPJ modifying article 9 which could be change at any time. And to point out that they could modify article 9 would in its best sense only be to lend a greater sense of dignity to the Japanese people, based on their admirable post WWII history, as they continue to maintain their present good points and build upon them for a stable and better future. That is useful though. The mind is the seat of life. Who would not want to see a friend's happiness and sense of well being increased when legitimately able and deserving.

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If PM Kan goes for Article 9 this year, he really is not a Prime Minister, but rather Governor of Japan.

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One of the oldest tricks in the book is to get other people to dirty themselves when you yourself have already become dirty so that they can not easily criticize you and so that the painful general sense of being in the wrong is personally lowered and less obvious to others. I will be well pleased if Japan continues to manage to keep itself properly distanced from other nation’s military muck. Accept the good. Refuse the bad.

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To Fadamor,

"@apecNetworks, a force of soldiers/sailors/airmen organized and directed by a national goverment is a military organization. The article is accurate in its description no matter how hard you wish it not to be. Japan calls its military arm a "Self-Defense Force" to differentiate it from most countries' military arms that are designed to fight offensively as well as defensively."

Your post describes the situation better than the article. I have one clear advantage over your post, I am in direct contact w/ the Horse.

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@apecNetworks, a force of soldiers/sailors/airmen organized and directed by a national goverment is a military organization. The article is accurate in its description no matter how hard you wish it not to be. Japan calls its military arm a "Self-Defense Force" to differentiate it from most countries' military arms that are designed to fight offensively as well as defensively.

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From the info I have, PM Kan would have to go for Article 9 this year.

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Addendum:

To understand what is occurring, one would have to know the real US Foreign Policy, which I do not believe PM Kan knows.

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The article is flawed. They are the Self Defense Forces. They are not a "military", the US wants the JSDF to become a "military", pushing for collective defense as a first step. This is a politicized article.

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I agree my own country only has a SDF too(but all male citizens need to do a 8-month stint). When a major bridge collapsed in the capital our pioneers quickly build up a replacement bridge.

Armed services do have a lot of highly trained individuals that tend to outnumber the combat forces by a multitude and who make sure everything goes smooth but never get the glory or recognition.

Kudos and many thanks to those guys out there, that sleep in tents and little support infrastructure.

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100,000 are mobilized for the disaster relief efforts but remember the other 100,000 are still working strong supporting efforts and patroling the skies and seas to defend Japan. I see the GSDF and JASDF everyday and they are extremely hard-working dedicated men and women! This is their time to shine and as a veteran I salute them too!

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The SDF have been superb in this crisis and deserve the credit that they get.

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As a US Army veteran, I salute the JSDF for their sterling efforts.

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