Before Graceland, A Less-Publicized Stop At Walter Reed [Classy Japanese PM}

The Washington Post ^ | July 7, 2006 | By Nora Boustany

[aculeus]

Loving tender and holding tight are about more than Elvis for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi . Beneath the spontaneity and flamboyance that his countrymen sum up as Koizumi Theater lies heartfelt compassion.

On Thursday last week, the day before he went to Graceland, Koizumi spent some quality time with U.S. soldiers wounded in Iraq and recovering at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Koizumi, boyish with a bohemian hair flip, chatted with several patients and posed for pictures with them and their families on the hospital's fifth floor, the Japanese Embassy's minister for public affairs, Mitsuru Kitano , said after the visit.

"Since the wounded soldiers could not move about freely, the prime minister got close to each soldier on their beds to pose for a commemorative photo," Kitano said.

Spec. Maxwell Ramsey , 36, of the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, greeted Koizumi with: " Konnichi-wa. Hajime-mashite. Ogenki desuka ?" -- Japanese for "Hello, how do you do? Are you well?"

A surprised Koizumi, who usually chats through an interpreter, replied in English, "Your Japanese is very good."

[mrs tiggywinkle]

Prime Minister Koizumi is truly a man of class and honor.

[goarmy]

Someone please post the photo attached to this WP article.

[Sunshine Sister]

You nailed it.

[brownsfan]

I don't know if they allow linking, but I'll try this:

[Jaded]

Ditto that.

[YaYa123]

I think this is an article that should get as much attention as possible. I think our other "friends" around the world should take a lesson from Japan.

Shame on FOXNews especially, but all the other networks too, for not reporting this on the day of the Graceland visit.

[staytrue]

Japanese law prohibits its military to go outside its borders, so while they sent no troops in desert storm, they did cough up about 50 billion for the effort.

[GVnana]

A class act.

[Marius3188]

I call BS.

Something is wrong with the article. First, 1st of the 506th, if I remember is a leg unit. The only Airborne units out of Fort Campbell are: 5th Group, Pathfinder Company, and their LRS detachment.

Also, 360 jumps is alot. It's a WHOLE lot for static line. I could understand HALO, but not static line.

Also, the guy is a Specialist. Not that many years in. Perhaps he was prior elisted with a 82nd unit or a Ranger Bat. but to have 360! jumps as a Specialist is INSANE.

Another thing, this is from the General:
Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Farmer Jr ., commander of the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command, which includes Walter Reed, said Ramsey would soon be "jumping out of planes for a 101st Airborne celebration."
--That is totally something the 82nd Airborne would due. Not the 101st, they are Air Assault Division. They are no longer Airborne.

Perhaps the Author confused the unit the person belonged to. But I have a feeling that the article is 'made up' or parts of it is wrong due to the Authors knowledge of the US Army.

Freepers, I would advise further investigation on this piece.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

From your homepage and worthy of more exposure:

In the end, more than they wanted freedom, they wanted security. They wanted a comfortable life, and they lost it all - security, comfort and freedom. When the Athenians finally wanted not to give to society but for society to give to them, when the freedom they wished for most was freedom from responsibility, then Athens ceased to be free. -- Edward Gibbon (1737-1794)

[STARWISE]

He surely is. Thanks for the ping. Sad, there's mention of pictures being taken at Walter Reed, but none show up in any news photos, only the Graceland shot.

[mrs tiggywinkle]

[aculeus]

Freepers, I would advise further investigation on this piece.

The bottom line: He visited Walter Reed.

[Marius3188]

Yep. Not Airborne qualified. Perhaps he ment 'repels' instead of jumps. The article is a fraud.

[aculeus]

I think this is an article that should get as much attention as possible. I think our other "friends" around the world should take a lesson from Japan.

Two words to mention when Euros and their Dem friends say W and America have no friends.

Japan.

India.

Each of them more important economically than most European countries and in a few years more important than all of Europe.

[aculeus]

The article is a fraud.

See 14.

[GOP_Proud]

One of the reporters on FNC mentioned the visit last night. He 9the PM) went to Walter Reed. The rest is just filler. You fuss about details if you want, but he visited WR. That's the important part. It was a classy move.

[jazusamo]

Prime Minister Koizumi is a class act.

[YaYa123]

Maybe the reporter used "506th" instead of the 502nd, which is one of the 101st units currently in Iraq. Civilian reporters often screw up military lingo and acronyms.

The official 101st Airborne Air Assault home page isn't online now, or we could do some checking ourselves.