No. It's like people asking him to visit Aomori for Apples or Miyazaki for Mango...and Japan has 47 prefectures.
I never thought that nuclear bombings can be compared with food. Are you trying to lift our mood by making a joke that trivialize the value of huma lives?
I see no reason why he shouldn't visit either one or both cities because frankly, there isn't much to see in Japan. In addition I would add Kyoto to his itinerary.
IMO though the A bombs ere terrible, dropping them is something the US does not have to atone for or apologise for. The IJA under the Emperor had to be stopped they were one of the largest killing machines in Human History. 150,000 Japanese civilians pales in comparison to the amount of bloodshed Japanese committed throughout Asia
His visit should not be used as ammunition by right-wingers against the Democrats in the mid-term elections, so if Obama visits one or both cities after the elections, it probably won't be a problem.
If one of the most war monger presidents, "Cowboy W" can visit Normandy beaches, then President Obama should be able to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki without any criticism from anybody. There are hundreds of Japanese, including prime ministers, who visit Pearl Harbor. President Obama and his family should visit Hiroshima and Nakasaki for the same reason the Japanese prime minister should visit Yasukuni Shrine. IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, HISTORY CAN'T BE CHANGED, AND THE FUTURE IS WHAT WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED WITH.
You should open up a history book sometime. You'd learn that Harry S. Truman ordered the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, making him "the most war monger presidents" in U.S. history.
There are hundreds of Japanese, including prime ministers, who visit Pearl Harbor.
But he should wear a t-shirt that reads, "You eff with the bull, you get the horns."
or "You reap what you sow" or "You made your bed, now sleep in it" or "My other wife is a comfort woman". That's diplomacy at it most subtle.
Perhaps Obama could pay official visits and attend peace ceremonies in Hiroshima, Nagasaki AND Nanking, provided that the Japanese PM joins him the whole way. That would cause more than a few heads turn.
Just curious, but has a sitting Japanese PM ever attended any special ceremonies in Nanking out of respect for the 300,000 civilians who were murdered there during WWII?
christa879 said: What's the point? The U.S. sent someone during the memorial and half the people complained about it.
Half of what people? If it was the American people it only shows that that half needs a good slapping about.
I think he should visit and say some bland words of regret, same as Japanese politicians do. No need to justify, and no need to apologize as Obama is not guilty.
In a perfect world, President Obama would make it a point to come to either site to make amends for prior mistakes our Country made.
But, as we all know this is not a prefect world. President Obama can not afford to make the trip because his enemies in America would use his trip as a sign of weakness and would go on Fox news and try to destroy him.
So he has to avoid coming to Japan and making amends for the errors of the Truman administration.....
But this will not stop the far right from trying to make an issue out of this date....
Seeing as how the Japanese vernacular media would nitpick Obama's visit to death ('he shouldn't have purchased the floral offering from a ¥100 shop'), and that the Republicans in the U.S. would immediately accuse him of being another Neville Chamberlain, it would be an exercise in masochism to go there.
@ MistWizard
You obviously weren't paying attention to the Japanese media because when I said "half the people complained about it" I was talking about the Japanese commentary.
And to be honest stormcrow makes a good point, what Japanese PM has ever gone to Nanjing, and apologized for that atrocity? Or have any Japanese PM ever apologized for kidnapping and raping thousand of Korean women over multiple decades? or apologized for conducting experiments on Chinese people who they considered less than human?.. no I didn't think so.
I don't see why he should go out of his was to make the trip. I wouldn't expect him to go to Yasukuni either. I guess it depends on what type of political message he wants to send. If he did go to Hiroshima and then said pointed things about nuclear proliferation to unsavory regimes that might strike a good balance that even most right wingers would have to agree with.
I really do want him to go so that we can see make another total screw up. He has done such a good job of alienating America’s close allies one more isn’t going to make a lot of difference and it could be fun to watch.
I think he should visit one of them. I might recommend Nagasaki (Not that I would be asked of course) on the basis that there is some basis to question whether the second bomb had to have been dropped or had to have been dropped so quickly after the first bomb. Also, most of the focus is on Hiroshima since it was first (it also had more loss of life, as the Nagasaki bomb target was not hit).
He should not apologize. He should go there in a spirit of solemn remebrance, which I'm sure he would. no doubt he would give brief remarks on why nuclear war must never happen again and why countries must work together to make the world a safer place.
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christa879
What's the point? The U.S. sent someone during the memorial and half the people complained about it.
some14some
No. It's like people asking him to visit Aomori for Apples or Miyazaki for Mango...and Japan has 47 prefectures.
mareo2
some14some at 06:58 AM JST - 9th August
I never thought that nuclear bombings can be compared with food. Are you trying to lift our mood by making a joke that trivialize the value of huma lives?
cleo
If he's serious about his 'nuke-free world', it would be a nice gesture.
Proffesor
I see no reason why he shouldn't visit either one or both cities because frankly, there isn't much to see in Japan. In addition I would add Kyoto to his itinerary.
Carcharodon
Should he? no obligation to, if he choose to for whatever agenda or motive then I am sure he might.
mummet
IMO though the A bombs ere terrible, dropping them is something the US does not have to atone for or apologise for. The IJA under the Emperor had to be stopped they were one of the largest killing machines in Human History. 150,000 Japanese civilians pales in comparison to the amount of bloodshed Japanese committed throughout Asia
Beelzebub
His visit should not be used as ammunition by right-wingers against the Democrats in the mid-term elections, so if Obama visits one or both cities after the elections, it probably won't be a problem.
noriyosan73
If one of the most war monger presidents, "Cowboy W" can visit Normandy beaches, then President Obama should be able to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki without any criticism from anybody. There are hundreds of Japanese, including prime ministers, who visit Pearl Harbor. President Obama and his family should visit Hiroshima and Nakasaki for the same reason the Japanese prime minister should visit Yasukuni Shrine. IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, HISTORY CAN'T BE CHANGED, AND THE FUTURE IS WHAT WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED WITH.
RomeoRamenII
the most war monger presidents, "Cowboy W"
You should open up a history book sometime. You'd learn that Harry S. Truman ordered the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, making him "the most war monger presidents" in U.S. history.
There are hundreds of Japanese, including prime ministers, who visit Pearl Harbor.
Has the emperor?
RR
Tokyoapple
He should visit but not go to the "peace" memorials--just eat the local food.
CrazyTown
First, of course he should visit.
But he should wear a t-shirt that reads, "You eff with the bull, you get the horns." or "You reap what you sow" or "You made your bed, now sleep in it" or "My other wife is a comfort woman". That's diplomacy at it most subtle.
societymike
He should really visit OKINAWA instead.
stormcrow
Perhaps Obama could pay official visits and attend peace ceremonies in Hiroshima, Nagasaki AND Nanking, provided that the Japanese PM joins him the whole way. That would cause more than a few heads turn.
Just curious, but has a sitting Japanese PM ever attended any special ceremonies in Nanking out of respect for the 300,000 civilians who were murdered there during WWII?
MistWizard
Half of what people? If it was the American people it only shows that that half needs a good slapping about.
I think he should visit and say some bland words of regret, same as Japanese politicians do. No need to justify, and no need to apologize as Obama is not guilty.
JoeBigs
In a perfect world, President Obama would make it a point to come to either site to make amends for prior mistakes our Country made.
But, as we all know this is not a prefect world. President Obama can not afford to make the trip because his enemies in America would use his trip as a sign of weakness and would go on Fox news and try to destroy him.
So he has to avoid coming to Japan and making amends for the errors of the Truman administration.....
But this will not stop the far right from trying to make an issue out of this date....
tapi0ca
no. it is noticeable to say that this administration -- for very good reasons -- has placed japan on its B list.
a visit is something bush should or could have done. the atmosphere was conducive at that time (koi-doo man-zumi and bush love affair).
the us and jp out atrocity each other (broadly and historically). up front, should we expect kahn to visit p harbor attack sites?
Beelzebub
Seeing as how the Japanese vernacular media would nitpick Obama's visit to death ('he shouldn't have purchased the floral offering from a ¥100 shop'), and that the Republicans in the U.S. would immediately accuse him of being another Neville Chamberlain, it would be an exercise in masochism to go there.
christa879
@ MistWizard You obviously weren't paying attention to the Japanese media because when I said "half the people complained about it" I was talking about the Japanese commentary.
And to be honest stormcrow makes a good point, what Japanese PM has ever gone to Nanjing, and apologized for that atrocity? Or have any Japanese PM ever apologized for kidnapping and raping thousand of Korean women over multiple decades? or apologized for conducting experiments on Chinese people who they considered less than human?.. no I didn't think so.
Ken Watanabe
If he wants to take the risk of political backlash against him just like Ronald Reagan did in his visit to the cemetery in Bitberg.
ca1ic0cat
I don't see why he should go out of his was to make the trip. I wouldn't expect him to go to Yasukuni either. I guess it depends on what type of political message he wants to send. If he did go to Hiroshima and then said pointed things about nuclear proliferation to unsavory regimes that might strike a good balance that even most right wingers would have to agree with.
Psyops
NO need to visit either city, Tokyo would be just fine. Also there is nothing for the US to make amends for.
Triple888
Obama shouldn't visit those places or it would symbolize that US had made a mistake to stop the war.
grafton
I really do want him to go so that we can see make another total screw up. He has done such a good job of alienating America’s close allies one more isn’t going to make a lot of difference and it could be fun to watch.
lakechamplainer
I think he should visit one of them. I might recommend Nagasaki (Not that I would be asked of course) on the basis that there is some basis to question whether the second bomb had to have been dropped or had to have been dropped so quickly after the first bomb. Also, most of the focus is on Hiroshima since it was first (it also had more loss of life, as the Nagasaki bomb target was not hit).
He should not apologize. He should go there in a spirit of solemn remebrance, which I'm sure he would. no doubt he would give brief remarks on why nuclear war must never happen again and why countries must work together to make the world a safer place.