US Military’s Quake Aid “Very Inappropriate”
- Categories: Japan, News
- Date: Mar 18, 2011 03:42 JST
- Tags: Accidents, Bizarre, Earthquakes, Mass Media, Military, Okinawa, Politics, USA
The US military is being accused of cynically using Operation Tomodachi as justification for keeping its bases in Okinawa.
Okinawa had been promised agreements which would reduce the huge concentration of US bases there, but the combined incompetence of the DPJ government and the intransigence of the US military foiled these plans, stoking considerable anti-base sentiment.
An article in Okinawan rag Ryukyu Shimpo now presents a lengthy critique of the US military’s involvement in ongoing relief efforts in northern Japan, accusing them of using their humanitarian operations to generate positive PR for their presence in Japan, and more specifically their maintenance of the especially controversial Futenma air base in Okinawa:
Okinawa’s US Marine Corps said ‘the considerable importance of the 3rd Expeditionary Force’s Futenma base to relief efforts has been demonstrated,’ and ‘it is extremely important that there is a base like Futenma close to the mainland,’ explaining the importance of Futenma to humanitarian operations.
However, it is hardly logical to maintain that having a marine base in Okinawa is more helpful to relief operations on the mainland than having bases on the mainland itself.
They are plainly using aid activities to promote their plans to keep the bases in the prefecture [of Okinawa].
Professor Manabu Sato of the Okinawa International University criticises them for this, saying ‘even if they have a political motive, it is good that they are providing aid,’ but stressing the advantages of having a base situated in Okinawa ‘is highly inappropriate.’
[…]
The American armed forces have called their aid operation ‘Tomodati’ (‘friend’). They are running a large-scale public relations campaign based on their aid.
It is the polar opposite of the meagre amounts of information they have released in response to the various incidents and accidents caused by their soldiers.
This is too much even for 2ch:
“This is crazy!”
“What is inappropriate is the timing of this article…”
“Your article is just as politically motivated! For shame!”
“Go tell the refugees they are helping that stuff about it being inappropriate!”
“We might as well have the bases on the mainland. In return they can house 10 reactors.”
“What a disgraceful paper to be publishing something like this.”
“Having the US army do that is vastly more reassuring than PLA medical relief teams…”
“If you keep whining we’ll hand the lot of you over to China!”
“This is all just what China wants.”
“If the people of Okinawa don’t do something about this paper they really are in danger of being lumped in with them.”
“Okinawa is disgraceful… they are more interested in US base politics than they are the plight of Tohoku.”
“I was moved to tears by the kindness of US troops – why are they so kind to us? People who write these kinds of articles have no business calling themselves journalists.”
“It’s embarrassing to come from the same country as people like this.”
“Go to hell you leftist scum! If anyone’s using this disaster it’s our chon PM!”
“I could cry… they are risking radiation to help us.”
“The three biggest threats to Japan are chinks, chon and those islanders!”
“Tokyoites are just as crazy as the rest of them. They aren’t even affected by the disaster and they start buying up all the food like crazy hoarders.”
“All you people defending the US, did you forget they were the ones who dropped nukes on us!? It’s pitiable.”
“Over 5,000 of their countrymen are dead as of writing and they publish an article criticising the relief effort!”
“Stop swallowing this article. I’m from Okinawa, I could cry… it’s all lies!”
“I was amazed when this turned out to be a real article. Shameful.”
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Lol at 2ch. But truth is saddening. Who is to be put at blame however, is the Japanese media. They gave coverage of USA aid, yet little to none coverage of hundreds of rescuers from other countries, who, by the way, are also "risking radiation" to help Japan.
Now THAT is indeed shameful.
That's not the point. the point is that they are criticizing people who are helping. It matters not that its the US being covered by the media or if it was some other country.
I weep when I think of how the media seems to be the same wherever you go.
"Thanks for the help, now about this irrelevant issue discussed before the disaster..."
It's not irrelevant if you're Okinawan...
This would be troubling if it was from someone all the way in Tokyo or somewhere else, but Okinawa is the one place who knows exactly what it's like there.
They're not criticizing the actual rescuers (aka - soldiers), they're criticizing the political affairs taking place in the meantime.
And what would that be? Nowhere in the US relief coverage had they said that "See? This why it's good for American to have bases here!".
But I suppose you can see political bullshits everywhere if you're always wearing poltical shaded idiot goggles.
"Quite a biased opinion there. Vehicles? Yes. Man power, nope. Check your facts."
BULL-FUCKING-SHIT! Do you even know how many crew members does each one of those aircraft carrier have onboard? Medical staffs, logistics, mission coordinator, etc. And that's not even counting the none military American volunteer. Like it or not, America holds the largest foreign relief presence in Japan right now.
It was never a competition, people were just there to help. But idiots like you who won't take off their shit politic goggles even for one single minute continues to insist as if it's a contest and that American are somehow cheating.
美しい音, certified retard. You may now file for your handicap parking permit.
@ anon 04:16
Yes indeed, a carrier holds an entire nation inside of it. As for the rest, check my newest post.
Oh please, we have done the same in other countries. Are you going to look at all of them and pick the ones we have bases on? A lot of countries, even ones they have spats with are helping.
How about you talk to the Japanese that were thankful we were already there and ready to help as soon as we had a head count. That is why we have bases everywhere, not to pick a war with Japan and they know it.
@NakkiNyan
If you'd require another example, look at middle east. How many protests and killing took place in a number of countries since the arabic uprise?
Now, why U.S. didn't care at all? And why did the U.S. finally decide to request an intervention the moment the events engulfed Libya? I'll tell you why - oil.
Stop being naive, the world doesn't work simply out of pure pity and gratitude/
美しい音
Ahh so it's about middle east now. This is what this whole bullshit all about isn't it?
If you wanna bitch about middle east, go right ahead. They fucked up big time there. But don't pretend as if you're talking some bullshit complex politics about why Americans are helping Japan out in time of crisis. When in reality you're just looking for another excuse to knock on American some more on what they fucked up in middle east.
Cause that's just pathetic. Keep shit relative, please.
@04:43
Ah yes, America fucked up and was a greedy bully throughout the past few decades, but NOW it became an angel? Are you seriously holding that as an argument? You gave me a good laugh there.
美しい音
Then keep the bullshit relative then. If you wanna preach America is the evil empire and responsible for everything that's wrong in the world. Go right ahead. But it has to be relative.
What's next? "A car accident happend in San Francisco, this is the prove how corrputed America is!" Give me a fucking break. There has to be a limit to your apophenia.
04:52
Keep your argument relative, that's all people want. If you wanna talk about middle east, say it in articles related to middle east. If you wanna talk about American greed, do so in articles related to American greed.
Don't try to twist the whole thing into a mrely a PR stunt. When in reality, you just wanna lead back to talking about middle east and greed again.
@美しい音
You know, the United States gets like 1% of it's total oil from Libya. The only reason to intervene there is purely humanitarian. Japan is also a country pretty devoid of natural resources. They are, however, one of our closest allies. We help them because we know they would help us in return if we needed it. I don't know why you have to be such a bitchwhore about it.
"Now, why U.S. didn't care at all? And why did the U.S. finally decide to request an intervention the moment the events engulfed Libya? I'll tell you why - oil."
Check your facts. Only today did the US finally decide to endorse a no-fly zone over Libya, 3 weeks after the beginning of the rebellion. Some say it my be too little, too late.
None of them sent air cavalry wings, aircraft carriers, amphibious transports, thousands of personnel, etc. It seems understandable that appreciation mostly falls on the US as their presence dwarfs everyone else...
Quite a biased opinion there. Vehicles? Yes. Man power, nope. Check your facts.
Who is sending more manpower? I'm not disagreeing, but I've only heard of the US efforts so far. Who else is there right now? We're in the US, so our media will focus on ourselves in all cases, you know that.
So, nearly half of our military isn't enough? 100,000 troops were sent on the 13th. Maybe you need to check your facts.
And by the way you should watch more NHK and Aljazeera, they are talking about New Zeland, Korea and China as well for their support.
@100,000 troops
Yeah indeed, and yet the Regan carrier chickened several tens of kilometres further away into the sea the moment they heard about radiation.
Bullshit
you can go count them and no one will give a shit about which country has more people there, the point is they're giving a hand and the first thing the journalist do is criticize them
Sure the guy cares about the situation of the base, but he screwed up on the timing and the approach of the article
@美しい音
American carrier moves further out to avoid radiation. But continues to fly in relief helicopters. While most of the other relief teams are flat out considering LEAVING JAPAN all together.
Aircraft carrier is like their base of operation, people sleep there during their downtime. Of course they're gonna try to avoid bathing them in radiation as they rest. As long as the choppers continues to fly and deliver their food, what the fuck does it matter if the carrier is a few miles further than before?
Seriously, take off your fucked up political goggles off for just a minute. Don't go full retard.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanitarian_response_to_the_2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
STFU please, 美しい音.
@04:26
I'd ask of you to take off your naive goggles. All there's to this whole situation is that an American military base HAPPENED to be close by. That the Japanese government is in charge of letting foreign support inside. And that America WILL USE THIS AS AN ARGUMENT to stay on Okinawa.
I have nothing against the american officers, "Good job and keep it up" is all I could tell them in person. But you do indeed fail to understand that I'm referring to the American government in this precise scenario, and NOT THE ONES HELPING ON LAND. Period.
@04:29
I can already see that some numbers are different from those that I read on official rescue organization web-sites. Either outdated (quite typical) or plain wrong.
"@100,000 troops
Yeah indeed, and yet the Regan carrier chickened several tens of kilometres further away into the sea the moment they heard about radiation.
Bullshit"
Those bastards, it's almost as if they don't want to end up dying of radiation poisoning.
Presence is not very meaningful at this point. Those who lost nearly everything will continue to suffer for months since the weather will progress from snowing to raining shortly.
The key is that the support has to be arranged in steady shifts so these people can make it through to the summer and begin rebuilding immediately when the weather is optimal.
Otherwise, morale will vanish soon and everyone working on the relief will feel miserable. That may cause more unnecessary grief for us all.
Just be glad that the people who lost nearly everything are getting help. With the way the Japanese government has been running, I would not necessarily count on them to do the right thing at the right time.
The focus now should be to arrange steady support so that the victims can make it through to the summer. The weather will progress from snowing to raining shortly. Therefore, it is important to keep morale and faith high to endure and contain fear before it spreads and causes more unnecessary damage.
"America WILL USE THIS AS AN ARGUMENT to stay on Okinawa."
OMG, you just kept making up bullshits don't you? So far NOBODY's is using this as an argument that the base should stay. ONLY the one who wrote this article here is claiming that people is using the relief as an argument for the base. Are you claiming to be a god damn psychic or something?
I'm no fan of America, but I see things for what they are. You're so biased against American, it's to the point of irrational paranoia.
How nice that you say they are wrong yet my sources say you are how about you contact the military like I contacted my uncle (US Navy) and get some real numbers.
The Reagan didn't chicken out, there was no choice since they would have been anchored in the radiation zone for longer than was safe for the health of the crew. If you haven't looked the wind was going their direction. It didn't stop them from sending helicopters with soldiers and supplies, something sorta necessary when roads are completely gone in areas don't you think.
Quit being a conspiracy theorist troll.
@HouseLife, I know Korea sent search units and 5 dogs to help find people as for some other countries they are waiting for the go ahead before they head over. Canada and India both offered help and are already prepared.
Oh and on a side-note, it's Japan who regulates the amount of help sent from abroad. The Japanese gov must give a greenlight for every foreign plane to enter their airspace. Something which they've been lingering to do for quite a few countries from day one of the disaster.
Correct. The US of A are in Japan now simply because they were asked to help.
In fact, Canada has been at-the-ready since the disaster to offer any humanitarian relief required. As of yet, we have not been contacted to offer our services. But at a moments' notice, we'll be there.
To the naysayers out there, this is /not/ for a political agenda - It's simply the right thing to do.
Well, the Emergencies Ministry of Russia has prepared the necessary forces, including six planes, an airborne hospital. 200 rescuers, psychologists and doctors are ready to fly to Japan. Russia is ready to supply up to 150,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas to Japan and to increase the supply of coal. Also, an underwater cable may be used to provide Japan with electricity, if necessary. Even China was willing to help, when China suffered an earthquake in rural Sichuan province that killed nearly 90,000 people three years ago. Due to Japanese search and rescue crew was sent there. When there are among 45 nations ready to help, why deny more help when it's need it? The more the merry...
What are you, Chinese? GTFO, newfag. Useful US base is Useful.
Stop bitching about America and get the sand out of your vagina. It's annoying seeing you all over the place spreading negative bullshit no matter how positive people are trying to be. I think you have some deeper problems that are causing your hatred. Sounds like a personal problem. Let everyone be proud and optimistic and go be a whiny bitch somewhere else.
Dear Ryukyu Shimpo, it's easier to help if you base is near the disaster than if it's in the disaster.
Respectfully, The Internet.
If they didn't help then they would've wrote
"The US is sitting in their bases in our country, doing nothing to help! How pitiful!"
So no matter what they do, they're a critique target.
that base has had so much bad shit associated with it its not even funny.
if you dont live by it you cant comment about it in a realistic way.
honestly the base should stay, but the personnel needs to be looked into, and people they seed there needs to be looked into even more.
the base IS going to stay. they say they're giving the base back every couple of months and then it turns into "oh nvm, we're going to keep it".
commented by
An okinawan/american.
Lived there for 7years.
Stationed on Foster.
or just an imposter
or your mother anon 11:10 as im fucking her
well no whit it should stay, im saying the people on base need to be looked into and chosen more carefully.
AMEN BROTHER AMEN. Where is the glorious Imperial Japanese Army my great grandfather used to serve?
You know, it'd be hard to find a group of people as collectively informed about nuclear radiation (and disaster management) as the US military.
They also have some child molesters and racist assholes in there.
But if I were Japanese, I'd be far more interested in that first point, right about now.
I knew it wouldn't be long before the Japanese started bitching again.
to be fair here, Okinawans are ethnically not Japanese. Okinawa or the Ryuku Kingdom was a independent country prior to the 1900s with its own culture and language. After Japan invade and took over, the Japanese almost completely eradicate the original Ryuku culture, language and history. After WWII, Okinawa was not granted independence because the US wanted a US military base in the area and it was easier to get it form the Japanese government then a independent Okinawa Government. The Japanese government wanted the US military base in Okinawa because they didn't want a US base next to real Japanese.
All the Japanese I talk to are glad we were already there it is just some shit news from a shit paper trying to make their sales go up.
They really don't. I was in Okinawa for four years and the locals told me that all the protesting they have going on down there are either companies/government officials flying people in from mainland Japan or people in certain companies with contracts that state they have to go down and protest every once and a while.
So the locals speak for the entire of Japan? And to bring up people forced to go protest for the government and companies is just dumb, they are trying to pander to the locals.
You scratch my back I scratch yours. Who cares? They're still helping people...
The sad part is 2ch seems to see it and not this trash rag.
That is sad. 2ch has usually demonstrably been a hole of ignorance.
there's definitely something weird with 2ch since the censorship banning... it's like they're maturing.
can we get some banning on 4ch?
Does anyone see the irony of a group of anonymous Internet users calling another group of anonymous Internet users, 'ignorant'?
I can see it
Honestly? I see the irony, but I also beg to disagree. They may be terribly biased, and are rather hard to convince otherwise, but I'd actually state that they are pretty smart by anonymous internet groups standards. They seem to get into deeper things, and overall seem to have a lightly more varied opinion than the others.
What happened Sankaku?
First this, now that?
http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2011/03/17/operation-tomodachi-us-military-too-cool/
@Lurkerman
Are you basing this on SC-articles, or have you personally participated in deep conversations with (2ch) 名無しs? I think they're more or less the same as Western anons.
As for for the variety of opinion... Sankaku may have more cultural diversity, but then again pretty much everyone on this site belongs to the same niche group, while 2ch attracts a more diverse audience - however one-sidedly Japanese it might be.
“We might as well have the bases on the mainland. In return they can house 10 reactors.”
Your answer Prof Manabu Sato?
Check out Wikipedia... I was surprised to learn their crime rate is 14% that of Okinawans (doesn't count on-base crime rate, but that can't be high oc).