politics

U.S. military resume flights of CH-53 choppers

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"Aviation experts have conducted a thorough review of the maintenance records and found no issues with the standard maintenance practices, actions, technical directives, periodic inspections and no operational matters to warrant concern."

so they just crash so live with it. get life insurance if you wanna moan all the time.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The U.S. keeps saying its military forces in Japan are invited guests and well-behaving good neighbors. But if they were guests, why do they so brazenly push through their will and decision disregarding the "host" country's circumstances and requests? The crash-landing of a CH-53 transport helicopter in Higashi Village in Okinawa on Oct. 11 is the case in point. 

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera requested immediatly after the rash incident that all CH-53 transport helicopters in Japan be grounded until the details of the crash are fully investigated. But the marines say they will resume regular flights starting today. Similar recalcitrant behavior on the part of the marines was also observed in past accidents; for example, the crash in 2004 of a CH-53D helicopter on the Okikokudai campus and the crash landing in 2016 of an MV-22 Osprey in the Abu village of Nago City.

In all three cases, the crash areas were cordoned off by the marines as if they had complete jurisdiction over all Okinawa, whereby Japanese police and investigation team were not allowed to enter the crash sites for inspection and investigation. They stood idly by and watched marines carry away the wreckage piece by piece.  This is what is happening this time too at the Higashi Village.  

What a proud sovereignty Japan is! What a humble guest the U.S. military in Japan is! What a good neighbor!

In every  respect, Japan is nothing but a subservient vassal of the U.S with Okinawa being offered to the U.S. as its permanent military colony.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

The U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa said Tuesday it will resume flight operations of its CH-53E transport helicopters from the next day after having kept them grounded following the crash-landing of one of them in the prefecture about a week before.

That didn't take long

1 ( +1 / -0 )

> > Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga said in a statement that he "absolutely cannot tolerate" the U.S. military's stance,

Great! Then do everyone a huge favor and resign. You are a one issue Gov that is doing little if anything for the rest of Okinawa.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

why can't the US military just be honest with every body? it will put minds at rest, elevate tension, give trust, rather than giving the impression of being bully boys, who don't care.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

why can't the US military just be honest with every body? 

Please share, where have they NOT been honest in THIS incident?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Not only is there no explanation regarding what kind of radiation was released by the crashed helicopter, and in what amount -- the release of radiation has been completely excised from the story. WHAT ARE THEY HIDING??

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Not only is there no explanation regarding what kind of radiation was released by the crashed helicopter, and in what amount -- the release of radiation has been completely excised from the story. WHAT ARE THEY HIDING??

Not this again... Strontium-90. In-Flight Blade Inspection System (IBIS if you want to Google it). Blades intact. No danger. That's it. No conspiracy.

Even if the IBIS containers cracked open, Strontium-90 is also used in medicine and agriculture, and while it is dangerous if ingested, you would basically have to be dumb enough to eat a piece of helicopter wreckage to be hurt by it.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Not only is there no explanation regarding what kind of radiation was released by the crashed helicopter, and in what amount -- the release of radiation has been completely excised from the story. WHAT ARE THEY HIDING??

The problem is with YOU and where you get your news. If you only read articles here, reprinted and often times HEAVILY edited and leaving out pertinent information, then don't blame anyone but yourself.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20171015_13/

2 ( +2 / -0 )

All posters and readers of this article who show no response to my post dated Oct. 18: 12:05 pm JST:

May I take you don't disagree with me when I say Japan is a subservient vassal or dishonorable satellite of the U.S. and that the U.S. saying its military forces in Japan are guests and good neighbors is nothing but a chicanery and gimmick?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

No we don't agree with your absurdly simplistic interpretation of a complex and necessary relationship.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

No we don't agree with your absurdly simplistic interpretation of a complex and necessary relationship.

Lol! Quite so.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

As a man with rational thought and reasonable logic, I never have agreed and never will.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

OssanAmerica, Yubaru and CyburneticTiger;

If you don't agree, then how do you explain the absurdity of U.S. marines having absolute authority over investigation of airplane crashes that occur in civilian sectors of foreign soil. 

Can you imagine a reverse situation in which the U.S. authorities are never allowed by a foreign country access to a crash site involving that foreign country's military aircraft?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

It's called the Status of Forces Agreement. In exchange for agreeing to provide assets to defend a country, the US has the jurisdiction over its equipment and personnel. It works that way in every country the US has bases in. It's not the evil occupier conspiratorial garbage you want to believe it is.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It's not the evil occupier conspiratorial garbage you want to believe it is.

I've met a couple of folks like him over the years here, they see the boogie man behind every tree, they manage to, somehow, create a link in their minds that every problem, here in Okinawa, is connected to the presence of the US Military.

Oh that includes a bunch of politicians too!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

extanker,

You aren't answering my question.

In this imagined situation, too, the foreign country might be exercising its exclusive right to the investigation guaranteed by a status of forces agreement, saying its exorbitant military is stationed in the U.S. to defend it..

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Voiceofokinawa,

Have you ever heard the expression "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink"? You're the horse.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

then how do you explain the absurdity 

Three words: voice of okinawa.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

extanker & Yubaru,

You both are simply delivering parting shots here instead of giving an intelligent argument. But can one expect an intelligent, logical argument from someone who is cornered in an argument and about to throw in the towel?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

delivering parting shots

I'd probably make the same claims if an answer went way over my head... It kind of reminds me of Donald Trump; someone gives you a factual and logical answer but you keep ignoring it and trying to push them into giving the answer you want to hear.

$10 says that if I were to say some false trash like, Yes, you are soooo right the US Military is treating Okinawa as if it were a part of its totalitarian regime and they're doing nothing but oppressing people. You wouldn't claim that I was ignoring your question.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

You both are simply delivering parting shots here instead of giving an intelligent argument. But can one expect an intelligent, logical argument from someone who is cornered in an argument and about to throw in the towel?

I already gave you an intelligent answer and you refuse to listen to logic, instead clinging to your conspiracy nonsense. There isn't much point to continuing an argument when the opponent refuses to listen to reason.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

CyburneticTiger:

Isn't Donald Trump your elected President who you must pay due respect?  And do you think I'm a U.S. citizen supporting his domestic and foreign policy?  Is Okinawa a U.S. territory where the marines can do whatever they want to do like they are in the U.S.?  If the answer is "yes" to all these questions, then there's some merit in what you say. But I'm not a U.S. citizen nor is Okinawa a U.S. territory. You cannot treat Okinawa as if it were your own territory which you think you can treat however you like. 

 

extanker:

I want you to read my Oct. 18 post once again in which I argued that Japan is nothing but a subservient vassal of the U.S with Okinawa being offered to it as its permanent military colony.  I presented the fact that the marines cordoned off the crash site (a private property) where Japanese police can't even enter to gather a soil sample. Today's local papers report the marines carried away not only the wreckage of the crashed helicopter but also the soil dug out deep at and around the crash site.

This absurdity is only possible when one country is subservient to the other. You may say the U.S. side is exercising its right in accordance with the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and the concomitant SOFA agreement. Indeed. 

But how do you respond if I say the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty is a mere facade to carry on bilateral suzerain-colony relations that were established in the Occupation era.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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