Posted on 11/15/2005 8:32:33 AM PST by smoothsailing
A Vital Alliance, Built by Bush
By Peter Brookes
CNSNews.com Commentary
November 15, 2005
President Bush, now in Japan, deserves a victory lap for a singular foreign policy accomplishment -- growing and deepening the U.S.-Japan alliance.
Bush critics bemoan the state of relations with supposed European allies like France and Germany, but overlook the improvements in the Japanese alliance.
Yet Japan is becoming a partner to America comparable only to Britain -- a staunch ally in the region, and a global partner in other issues around the globe; two powers that share similar values and vision, willing to pool resources to address daunting political, economic and, even, security problems.
Major challenges haunt the United States in the Pacific -- from China's uncertain rise to North Korean nukes. Washington needs as many strong, capable partners as possible. And democratic Japan -- with the world's No. 2 economy and a highly capable military -- fills the bill quite nicely, which is why Tokyo is Bush's first stop in his weeklong Northeast Asian jaunt.
The president will be warmly greeted by Japan's plucky Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Their friendship has helped advance the partnership. (It didn't hurt a bit that both love baseball -- personal relationships count, even in international affairs...)
The U.S.-Japan relationship wasn't always so healthy. In the days after the Cold War, both Washington and Tokyo openly questioned the value and need for the alliance.
In the 1990s, America's attitude went from "bashing" Japan on trade to "passing" on Japan completely. The Clinton administration moved off America's long-standing emphasis on its (anti-communist, anti-Soviet) Pacific allies and centered its future Asia policy on China.
Japan was having second thoughts, too. With the northern Soviet threat gone, Tokyo was reevaluating the social (e.g., sexual assaults), financial (e.g., billions in host-nation support) and the environmental burden (e.g., jet noise) of hosting nearly 50,000 American troops.
But China's rapid economic growth and military buildup and North Korea's "not nearly frozen" nuclear weapons and burgeoning ballistic-missile programs led some in both nations to question the wisdom of going our separate ways.
Running in 2000, Bush promised to reverse course, and strengthen America's Pacific alliances, especially the Japanese relationship. In office, his national-security team did just that.
In fact, the Bush administration has evolved the U.S.-Japan alliance from "grrrr" to "great." For instance:
-- Since October 2001, Japan has provided $150 million worth of fuel to the ships of 12 nations supporting Afghanistan and counterterrorism ops in the Indian Ocean. Without this support, some coalition partners simply wouldn't have been able to participate.
-- In Afghanistan, Tokyo contributed $1 billion in reconstruction aid. The Japanese are rebuilding the Kandahar-Herat Ring road - in disrepair since the Soviet-Afghan war's end, and desperately needed for economic development and internal security.
-- In Iraq, Japan has already spent $1.5 billion of its $5 billion reconstruction pledge. Japanese troops rebuilt/repaired water-treatment plants, power stations and hospitals; provided ambulances, medical equipment and supplies; and aided Iraqi elections.
-- Japan plays a role in the Middle East peace process, too, providing nearly $800 million in humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians, helping reform the Palestinian Authority and contributing other confidence and state-building efforts.
-- The U.S. and Japan, with China, India, Korea and Australia, are looking beyond the failed Kyoto Treaty, working to address pollution, climate change and energy security via the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.
-- Tokyo is also developing/deploying interoperable missile defenses with Washington - improving both nations' security. And Japan, despite a prevailing "allergy" to things both nuclear and military, just agreed to station a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier here, replacing the older, non-nuclear USS Kitty Hawk. But even though the alliance has strengthened greatly, Japan isn't quite "Britain" yet. While Tokyo's troops can serve in places like Iraq, they can't fight outside Japan: Tokyo's (U.S.-drafted) "pacifist" constitution forbids this.
So the Japanese are considering amending their constitution to allow a greater role in international security. This will make some nervous, especially Japan's neighbors, but as long as Tokyo operates within the U.S.-Japan alliance, things will be fine.
Some friction still comes on economic issues - such as U.S. access to Japanese markets and Japanese restrictions on American beef due to "Mad Cow" concerns. But, overall, The U.S.-Japan alliance hasn't been better in the over 50 years of its existence - and it's mostly due to this White House's efforts.
Fortunately, Tokyo, like London, has been a steadfast ally even when the chips were down and Washington found itself internationally isolated.
Deepening -- and broadening -- Japanese relations is a smart move. In a world with no shortage of international challenges, from Iran to terrorism to HIV/AIDS, our team's going to need all the "Japans" and "Britains" we can muster.
(Peter Brookes, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense, is a Heritage Foundation senior fellow for National Security Affairs.)
Copyright 2005, The Heritage Foundation
Good and encouraging post - thanks!
GWB Is The Man ~ Bump!
President George W Bush . . . a VISIONARY Leader!!
*ping*
The India/Australia/Japan/Taiwan/U.S. alliance is an unsung U.S. foreign policy success. It is going to serve as the counterpart to controlling China. This along with M.E. strategy is paying dividends.
Good Morning, Smoothie. Thanks for the ping to this great article.
Jeff Head & I need your help.......Please ping your lists to this post.
Did you know that the proposed design for the Flight 93 National Memorial contains a 'Crescent of Embrace' of red maples surrounding the crash site of the plane in which the 40 heroic passengers fought the terrorists on 9-11-01?
When the design was announced on 9-07-05, an uproar was created over the use of 'the crescent', an Islamic symbol. As a result, the designer made vague comments about changing the name of the design but not its intent. Since that time, nothing has happened and it looks like they are proceeding because the name and description of the 'Crescent of Embrace' are still on their official website here:
http://www.flight93memorialproject.org/crescent_of_embrace.asp
Therefore a Petition has been created to give Americans an opportunity to voice their opposition to the 'Crescent of Embrace' which is the equivalent of using a swastika shape in a memorial for Holocaust victims.
Here's where you go here to sign:
http://new.petitiononline.com/NOCRSCNT/petition.html
This must not occur...the very idea of each fall, around September 11th, during the fall of the year, for a red crescent to appear in the Pennsylvania countryside surrounding the Flight 93 crash site is an abomination and a very powerful (and for free people of the world, a very negative) symbolic representation that will encourage and embolden our enemies and shame us all.
Please sign this Petition to the US Park Service and the US Congress:
Oppose the "Crescent of Embrace " Proposal for the Flight 93 Memorial
After you sign, please email all your email lists to go here to sign:
http://new.petitiononline.com/NOCRSCNT/petition.html
We need your help so that more Americans will be aware of the proposed design and have the opportunity to sign the Petition. Thank you for helping to spread the word.
Please 'copy & paste' this information and send to your email lists......asking them to do the same & pass it on. If everyone spreads the word; we will have the thousands of signatures we need to convince the National Park Service to change the proposed design.
A Petition to Oppose the "Crescent of Embrace " Proposal for the Flight 93 Memorial
Again here's where you go here to sign:
http://new.petitiononline.com/NOCRSCNT/petition.html
I would throw in Israel for good measure.
Hopefully this thread will generate some additional signatures for the petition.
We all owe it to those brave Americans who were the "first soldiers" in the defense of all of us on 9-11.
How indeed!
Let me guess, competitive spirit, a sense of self-worth? family values? strong work ethic?
Nah,that can't be it.
Weaker minds will seize on every "failure" the MSM spouts and use it to scream against the President.
Those who fully understand the obstacles will not bash the President but will be grateful for the very GREAT things he is doing.
With the dims and the media, finding fault with others, including the President, is how they distract from their own failings.They are a burden on this great nation, and we must expose them for what they are.
(Please see post#9 and help out,if you can. FRegards...)
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