Ceremony and controversy await Harris during visit to Asia

America should NEVER send it's soldiers anywhere to defend others

What world are you living in, Mark? This is almost the defining characteristic of America.

And this is why Taiwan is still kind of independent

Present Japan's Kishida government has invited infamous Myanmar junta to this problematic state funeral.

Oh my! You don’t say? THANKING someone for electing to serve in an entirely volunteer armed forces?! That EXTREME nationalism!

It's like church, where if you don't fall in line, people give you the side eye. If you don't tell a soldier you thank them for their service in America, you may as well be a traitor in that person's eyes.

It's a really weird part of American culture.

USA frequently interfering in the affairs of foreign countries (and in some cases, invading them) for no justifiable reason. From Korea onwards.

Yep, Korea. South Koreans are really peeved about that. We all know the vast majority dreamt that Kim Il Sung's invasion was successful, so that the entire peninsula could be enjoying the fruits of the workers' paradise that is today's North Korea. Well, apart from the starvation.

And here are we, residents of post-war Japan, another US creation. Right after the Americans took over, they wrote its entire constitution, instituted extensive land reform, dismantled the corporate cartels and imposed democracy. The place has been a dystopian basket-case ever since. Right?

Aly RustomToday  08:38 am JST

Present Japan's Kishida government has invited infamous Myanmar junta to this problematic state funeral.

Birds of a feather.

The LDP with all it's faults is not the same as a Military Dictatorship that locks up it's political opponents.

Americans thank service members because they protect America and it’s allies. Yes, it’s voluntary and you should be glad that people volunteer because if they didn’t you might be called upon to pick up the slack without a choice and you probably wouldn’t like that (assuming you’re American), so be grateful.

The list goes on. The vast number of Americans, including its politicians, don't want to see their soldiers sent to foreign countries, barring a 9/11 type event.

The list of countries to which they have sent troops goes on many times longer than the list where the US refrained (or more likely couldn't get a foothold): over 100 countries. Sorry, but, Americans, whether they can admit it to themselves or not, live in a warrior nation of uncertain principles. The very fact that they greet soldiers with "thank you for your service" is militaristic and a sign of extreme nationalism. Even the national symbol is a bird of prey.

Most Americans are fairly ignorant of what their government does, and indifferent to the fact that it behaves contrary to its citizens' interest. Look at the response to Snowden and Assange.

And now we greet its Vice President - woman who can speak for hours without managing a complete or coherent sentence. One who built her reputation by jailing minorities for minor drug offenses, and then illegally extending their prison stays to provide more income for privately owned prisons.

But, hey, she would be perfect for the LDP.

kaerimashita

what about Vietnam? think the Vietnamese were happier during the war or now?

Ah, the Vietnamese? They're the most pro-American people in the world. (according to Pew Research)

"Vietnam loves the United States the most. Vietnam has the most favorable view of Americans with a favorability of 84%."

-- See: "Countries that Love Americans 2022"

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-love-americans

OK, Noam Chomsky, communist Chinese leaders, Roger Waters, Russian dictators and Myanmar junta leaders hate and fear America. Billions of others, especially sane normal people, have the opposite view.

Jefflee: thanks for pointing this out.

Recent history is of the USA frequently interfering in the affairs of foreign countries (and in some cases, invading them) for no justifiable reason. From Korea onwards.

citing a 9/11 type event as justification for the Iraq war or for 20 years in Afghanistan is ludicrous.

Add Yugoslavia. Libya. Grenada. Panama. Vietnam. And I'm sure there are plenty other exampl;es of covert military support or interference.

It is often the role of the global hegemon to behave this way, but saying that they try to avoid wars is just not true.

Listen to the current nuclear rhetoric over Ukraine. Or the messaging around Taiwan. If anything, a significant part of the US political establishment appear to be spoiling for a fight.

South Korea will continue to balance its relationship with both the US and China. The US, South Korean military alliance is directed at North Korea.

Biden met separately with each leader, and the U.S. is eager to see the two allies resolve their issues as it seeks a united front against China.

The US as the world's global law enforcer has worked ok in preventing major conflicts but been pretty useless at preventing minor ones. And has led to a number of total failures when it has chosen to directly or indirectly intervene.

The current admin (KH being the one we are getting here) have been really hapless and have sent mixed messages wherever they have chosen to speak.

It's like church, where if you don't fall in line, people give you the side eye. If you don't tell a soldier you thank them for their service in America, you may as well be a traitor in that person's eyes.

It's a really weird part of American culture.

That’s…just utter nonsense. I’ve never once “thanked a solider” and I’m friends or acquaintances with half a dozen of them. Most do not care for the attention.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess your exposure to “American culture” begins and ends with YouTube.

And yes, you’ll probably get that dreaded “side eye” that follows whenever you voice a silly contradictory opinion based on nothing.

@JeffLee

OK, Noam Chomsky, communist Chinese leaders, Roger Waters, Russian dictators and Myanmar junta leaders hate and fear America. Billions of others, especially sane normal people, have the opposite view.

I'm sorry but you are off base again.

“Very few in any public surveyed think American democracy is a good example for other countries to follow,” Pew’s report said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/02/pew-us-democracy-poll/

Americans thank service members because they protect America and it’s allies. 

You need protection from young families in Yemen? From goat herders in Ethiopia? From shopkeepers inn Syria? How does that work?

I'm glad the underrepresented minority can stay in a 5 star hotel And enjoy the good life for a few days. My tax money is well spent fighting for diversity.

This is almost the defining characteristic of America.

Sending soldiers to foreign lands? Nope. They are resolutely staying out of the Ukraine War. There isn't a single US soldier there.

The US has a history of dragging its feet when it comes to war. They entered WW1 late after spending forever debating the issue. They entered ww2 late after sticking to a popular isolationist policy before Pearl Harbor.

They resolutely stayed out the worst war in modern Middle Eastern history: the Iran-Iraq War. They tried to so the same with the Balkans Crisis, until the global community accused them of closing its eyes to the humanitarian crisis.

The list goes on. The vast number of Americans, including its politicians, don't want to see their soldiers sent to foreign countries, barring a 9/11 type event.

DONE!!!!!!!!, japan signed the ¥40 trillion spending for US military defense support.

harris come to celebrate the deal!

Sorry, but, Americans, whether they can admit it to themselves or not, live in a warrior nation of uncertain principles. The very fact that they greet soldiers with "thank you for your service" is militaristic and a sign of extreme nationalism

Oh my! You don’t say? THANKING someone for electing to serve in an entirely volunteer armed forces?! That EXTREME nationalism! Why, at that point you’re just a hop, skip, and a jump from The Triumph of the Will!

AND a bird of prey as the national animal?! I can almost hear the Imperial March playing as I type this!

Jeff

you are not making any relevant point.

I used Korea war as a reference point for when the US started with its endless interference in the affairs of foreign countries. To counter your example, what about Vietnam? think the Vietnamese were happier during the war or now?

As for Japan, nothing to do with the topic.

I just hope Kamala doesn't add to the aggressive rhetoric or misspeak while she is here.

@JeffLee

If you could understand Korean and went to live in South Korea for a while you would see how wildly off base you are.

Barring that you could start by familiarizing yourself with things like the Bodo League incident, in which tens of thousands of South Korean citizens were summarily executed in a rapid manner by US-armed and trained ROK forces due to the fact that the majority of South Korean citizens wanted the US out of Korea-

[ The massacre was falsely blamed on the communists led by Kim Il-sung by the South Korean government.[3]

The Associated Press conducted extensive archival research and found documents classified "secret" and "filed away" by the Pentagon and State Department in Washington, that had indicated the US commander Gen. Douglas MacArthur made no attempts to curb the summary mass killings.[19]

JT moderator this post is totally relevant to the claims made by JeffLee, which he made based on the article's content, so altogether this content is completely on topic.

I expect you may delete this as there is factual information which contradicts the standard narrative promoted by the mass media regarding the history of Korea and America's involvement on the peninsula.

The following is disingenuous: "The LDP with all it's faults is not the same as a Military Dictatorship that locks up it's political opponents." This has been the constant US fallacious that the world is divided better corrupt rightwing dictators like Ferdinand Marcus an North Korea. There are plenty of other democratic choices (many of whom have been cancelled by the US).

Note that the above political either / or arguments, like the the one above, are rarely or ever used in the U/S. It is only for the U.S.'s poor and oppressed satellites.

America should NEVER send it's soldiers anywhere to defend others, America has has paid more than enough of it's share defending others, the time has come for other nations to be prepared to defend their democracies at any cost with the help of U.S assets and know how.

What a wonderful VP. May God keep blessing Harris in her term. She has been doing so good so far.

Present Japan's Kishida government has invited infamous Myanmar junta to this problematic state funeral.

Birds of a feather.

Welcome to Japan Mam.