As for your point about the difference between military policy-soldiers, I agree that there is a difference. Still, it is an all-volunteer force, and I blame them to some degree. GWB did not kill or abuse anyone in Iraq personally. All these people have a choice. Some of the guys I see in Okinawa are so young they must have joined after the start of the war. Why???

I’m not saying anyone is guilty because he’s a soldier, but my sympathy for someone like that is even smaller when I hear that he’s in the USMC.

I am friends with some ex-military guys, and we sometimes discuss these issues as well. I know that not everyone in the military is a bad person, but I do sometimes get the impression that military culture does not exactly foster respect for women.

But, yes, I am obviously biased against the US military, and for good reasons.
…
Very amusing to see a member of the US armed forces argue for due process. How about granting that to the (in many cases innocent!) people in Guatanamo?

I think you are confusing US Military and US Armed Forces policy with soldiers. It seems to me that you are against US military policy which is determined by government officials, generals and bureaucrats. Military policy has nothing to do with soldiers in the military, and especially nothing to do with the ignorant/criminal soldiers in the military.

What you don’t seem to realize is that not everyone in the military agrees with the way things are being run. I just had dinner with some friends on a military base and everyone there (mostly adults in their 50s) was complaining about current military policy and, in particular, being in Iraq.

Also, I fail to see how it’s amusing that someone in the US armed forces could argue for due process. There are a lot of people in the military who believe the f&%kheads running Gitmo need to be fired.

I’m not even in the military and it’s pretty clear that internal support for the administration is at an all time low. People have been trained to believe that questioning military policy is the same as not supporting the troops in Iraq, but that is a sad byproduct of the current presidential administration and 9/11.

You blame everyone in the military for military policy, but on the same token, would you blame everyone working at McDonalds for making Americans fat?

If this soldier raped the girl then he should be convicted. It’s very simple. But the step that comes before conviction is a trial. His alleged (and yes I say alleged because his rape hasn’t been proven) needs to be thoroughly investigated and not influenced because a bunch of people are angry at military policy. If you say he’s guilty because he’s a soldier it’s simply a non-argument. Correlation does not mean causation.

So, you don’t just avidly defend this admitted pedophile, but honestly also these horrible human rights infractions in this US-concentration camp?

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59030&archive=true

The US military in Germany is going through massive force reductions which the Germans were “surprised” by:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A22217-2004Mar24?language=printer

Also Americans are not allowed on US bases in America unless signed in on the post by a servicemember. Just like Japanese need to be signed in on post in Japan. So using your logic US military servicemembers in America should be locked on post as well.

I suppose the foreign military bases in America like the Japanese and Germans have, those soldiers should also be put on lock down too.

Despite what some people might want to say. Most non Americans do not look at US foreign policy in a favourable way.

If US must absolutely have bases in Japan would it not be better to lock them up? Japanese are not allowed entry into the bases so Americans should not be allowed to leave the bases.

I demanded a lynch mob? I only pointed out that the guy had admitted to sexually approaching a child and by no means was this affair just based on lies.

Very amusing to see a member of the US armed forces argue for due process. How about granting that to the (in many cases innocent!) people in Guatanamo?

However, your bias has now come to light. The alleged rape means little to you, it is the fact the person is being accused of rape is in the military that matters to you. Since he is in the military you think a lynch mob is what needed regardless of whether or not he is guilty or not.

“Just think of all the barracks hoes who are cringing at the thought of being waterboarded the next time they cry “Rape!” and their false accusations coming to light….”

Advocating the use of torture against a woman reporting a rape is the intelligent and enlightened comment expected from a member of the US military….

US military of of Japan (and the rest of the world as well)!!!

No one can confuse a 14 year old with a 18 year old, esp. in Japan where everyone looks younger. This marine is a undoubtfully a very disgusting person.

And how fast would those factory jobs be lost? Not on the US, but Japan, the UK and the EU would pull theirs asap. China can’t get away with doing that (or else they probably would).

“Dumping the dollar” would lead to riots that could bring down the Chinese government. It could be more in US interest than China’s…

Take a look at how many NATO countries have US bases.

“Cops admit to dearth of material evidence in Yokosuka taxi driver slaying”
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080324p2a00m0na023000c.html

I think some readers get the impression that there was a forced kiss because news organizations such as Reuters and the AFP have printed articles saying that the police reported the Marine admitted to forcing the kiss:

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jwVaXte9bKI3uwU21c-2EnLhqXFQ
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUST12926820080301

On the other hand, the Yomiuri has an article from around the same date that states the Marine claimed the kissing and touching were not forced:

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080301TDY01306.htm

A more recent article (http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=394896 ) is in agreement with the Yomiuri, so it could be that earlier press reports or police statements were wrong about his confession.

“Deputy Chief Prosecutor Hirokazu Urata last week said Hadnott was cooperative throughout the questioning. Urata said there was never any evidence of a struggle.”

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60337&archive=true

Also he did not say he FORCIBLY kissed her as you claim. This is what the Marine said:

“During intensive questioning since his arrest, Hadnott denied the rape allegation, claiming he only kissed and pressed up against the girl.”

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60337&archive=true

Where did he claim he forcibly kissed her in that statement? That is why I have been saying over and over again to allow the investigation to play out.

I have been part of investigations before and what the public and media think they know compared to what really happened is often quite different, but the military cannot come out and publish details when an investigation is going on. The Marine is still being investigated by the military because if he did knowingly kiss a 14 year old girl he could be punished for it according to UCMJ. However, could the girl have told him she was 18 years old and he believed her?

Once again I don’t know and neither do you but the guy deserves due process and not a lynch mob.

So, it is improper and actually quite insulting against the victim to speak of lies and of “false rape charges”.

As far the Okinawa rape case you can say all you want that the Marine is a weirdo for kissing a 14 year old girl but the bottom line that he did not rape the girl. Did it ever occur to you that the police found no evidence when a rape kit was given to the girl and that is why the girl’s family decided not to press charges?

It happens women lie:

http://rokdrop.com/2008/02/23/more-details-on-false-rape-allegation-2/

That sicko admitted to forcibly kissing the 14 (!) year old.

In the end it doesn’t really matter how you see the issue. It matters how I see the issue, as mine was one of the hijacked names. I did not like it. However should someone do the same to your name, feel free to let James know he can keep it as is.

Incidentally, and I know this wasn’t an accusation, when I do quote something I always make it clear, and usually give the source as well.

The thing is, stabbing someone there is so counter-intuitive to most folks (who watch movies and think “go for the throat”) that it makes me doubt this was someone “getting lucky”. It sounds like they knew what they were doing.

I saw this same problem on Time magazine’s blog with people from opposing political parties logging in to troll with a similar name.

You should probably think less in terms of john k1 and more in terms of “john_k” or “. john k”. This difference is small enough that most people aren’t going to pick up on it.

U.S. troops shouldn’t be in Okinawa because there’s no reason to be there! The local economy might depend on the bases for now, but with U.S. troops gone they can create a much better tourist industry. Why? Well, most Europeans (and their strong Euro) aren’t too keen on going to a place filled with American military people. More an more Europeans are coming to Japan every year for tourism, but Okinawa will be left out of the boom until the U.S. is out.

For those who think US is protecting Japan. If China realy wanted to go to war it could simply dump the Dollar and US would be in economical ruins.

Take for example the recent domestic dispute involving the US Marine on Okinawa and his estranged wife. If a Japanese servicemember in America got in a similar incident does anyone think a story in a national US newspaper would be published about it? Heck no but that is what happens in Japan that creates the perception of out of control US military crime.

Also the sailor in the taxi cab murder is now in custody and denies killing the cab driver:

http://rokdrop.com/2008/03/24/yokosuka-sailor-suspected-in-cab-driver-murder-detained/

Just like with the false rape claim in Okinawa people should wait for the police to conduct their investigation and indict the sailor before jumping to conclusions.

Also none of this changes the fact that servicemembers in Japan are committing less crime per capita then the Japanese public:

http://rokdrop.com/2008/02/20/statistics-for-recent-usfj-crime-rate-on-okinawa-released/

The whole rape issue is also overblown; most (not all so it’s not like I’m advocating the defense of any sicko criminals) cases you end up finding out the girl had a consensual relationship but when her relatives or whatnot found out, she cries rape to hide embarrassment/shame (especially if the dude’s colored -_-). Any American expat that hangs round Roppongi knows of these issues, and can attest to the ‘free spirit’ of the girls around there :/

And one day, if your sister got raped by some foreign military crews, hopefully, you still stick with your notion, accept such happening things and get used to it.

For a supposedly civilized nation – it’s ironic that some Japanese people immediately jump to “the foreigners guilty” even when the investigation has just begun and the evidence is still being collected and analyzed.

It’s a GLOBAL village now folks – GET USED TO IT.

Heh. I’ve heard that line before.

“Shut it” or else what? You’ll stick a kitchen knife in my neck? Or perhaps you’ll organize an illegal invasion of my country, hunt me down, and ship my ass off to Guantanamo Bay?

I hope they catch the criminal at least.

Somebody knew what he was doing or got very lucky.