Quote:
1. Japan and the United States had been at war for several years. 9/11 was comparatively a surprise attack.
2. Japan was the aggressor and instigator of that particular conflict. The U.S. had previously done little to curb Al Quaeda activities in a military sense.
3. The alternative to ending the war with Japan would have most likely been an invasion. If so, the women and children were prepared to fight with bamboo spears and kitchen knives. The death toll on both sides would have been countless. there is no comparison to the 9/11 situation.
4. The U.S. had endured years of all-out war on 2 fronts. ending the conflict and loss of American life must have been doubly important in that atmosphere. its hard to judge our leaders at the time, when boys have been dying by the hundreds of thousands... year after year.
|
1. Most Middle Eastern people and numerous states consider themselves in a de facto war against the United States for over a decade.
2. The United States is considered the aggressor in this conflict because we arm their establish and arm their oppressive governments like the Taliban and Saddam. Furthermore, our globalist economic policies undercut economic growth in their areas and finally they can readily see our prosperity on MTV in store televisions. They know that we have enough food to feed the worlds hungry and vaccinations/cures for countless diseases that afflict their populace and we do nothing. Not to say that help is always feasible but it is important to understand their perception of us.
3. The alternative to a terrorist attack on the United States would be an attempted invasion. I say attempted because it would not have a chance in hell, but they would be up against a huge countries populace as well as their superior military. Furthermore, fighting women and children in an endless struggle seems to our militaries modern hallmark. There is a comparison!
4. The same applies to the Middle East. These people have had a simmering resentment of the US for over a decade when they can rightfully trace their dictatorial regimes back to US cold war appointments and funding, when the affects of globalism is apparent to anyone with mild economic understanding and can be seen on the streets of nearly any Middle Eastern town, and when we are seem as the country that has it all, but will not share with the world. They have been watching their sons and daughters die for much longer than we did and have been able to link their losses to us. I wonder why it is not harder for us to pass judgement on their leaders when they have faced such tragedy for so long.
Quote:
|
The dynamics of a militaristic Japan are so different from what we in the West know (i'm assuming most of the TFP audience is Western), its hard to empathize with their political climate. I do know the Emperor's cabinet nearly averted being swept under by a coup in the days leading up to the Emperor's address to the nation. There was so much indoctrinated nationalism, its hard to believe that negotiations or embargos could have brought the war to a conclusive end. but, i'm all for re-examination of history to help us better avoid us using the bomb in the future.
|
The dynamics of a militaristic West are so different from what they know in the East just as we are only beginning to understand their concept of war. Perhaps that makes it difficult to empathize, but at least you must see that it has the same effect of them making it hard for them to empathize with us. We in America too much enjoy playing the role of the victim. We don't care to understand the motives or climate that led to the attack on 9/11 so much as we care about vengence. Well vengence is not justice and justice will not be served nor terrorism ended so long as we refuse to see and address our own part in making it happen. Their are great similarities in the thoughts and attitudes of our leaders who dropped the bomb on Japan and the Al Queda leaders who flew a plane into the WTC. Their attitudes and fears were very similar. The only difference I can say justifiably exists is that we targeted entire civilian cities whereas they targeted the two sources of their greatest woes. The hubs of globalism and the American military.