Re Rakesh's [OPE-L:1275]:
> I have said
> over and over that I am referring to regional security.
And as I have said again and again -- and you have not directly replied
to yet -- the US government is also concerned with the same regional
security ands would act in much the same way *with or without* the
financial support of Japan.
> The threats
> include both external aggression (China, North Korea)
You write this as if US imperialism isn't concerned with these "threats".
> and internal
> subversion and secession (e.g., Indonesia).
or as if the US isn't concerned about subversion and independence
movements in other parts of the world.
> Japan is in no position to
> secure the region by itself. Do you think this dependence on the US makes
> no difference?
I think that the US military would act in much the same way with or
without the support of the Japanese government.
What you haven't mentioned is the possible clout that Japan has due to the
presence of US military bases in Japan. Given the strong US desire to
maintain those bases, this can be a significant bargaining chip.
> > However, you have still not answered the question I addressed. Do you not
> > believe that the US had *its own* reasons for initiating the Gulf War
> > independently of what Japan did or did not want (or would be willing to
> > pay for)?
> Of course. But the US can make Japan pay even while it secures favorable
> pro US regimes for itself
Yet, *even if* the Japanese government wasn't in favor of the Gulf War
and/or refused to pay, the US would *still* have launched that war.
In solidarity, Jerry
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Feb 27 2000 - 15:27:09 EST