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Departing From Country's Pacifism, Japanese Premier Vows Revenge Against ISIS for Killings
New York Times ^ | 02/01/2015 | By MARTIN FACKLER

Posted on 02/01/2015 7:05:19 PM PST by SeekAndFind

TOKYO — When Islamic State militants posted a video over the weekend showing the grisly killing of a Japanese journalist, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reacted with outrage, promising “to make the terrorists pay the price.”

Such vows of retribution may be common in the West when leaders face extremist violence, but they have been unheard of in confrontation-averse Japan — until now. The prime minister’s call for revenge after the killings of the journalist, Kenji Goto, and another hostage, Haruna Yukawa, raised eyebrows even in the military establishment, adding to a growing awareness here that the crisis could be a watershed for this long pacifist country.

“Japan has not seen this Western-style expression in its diplomacy before,” Akihisa Nagashima, a former vice minister of defense, wrote on Twitter. “Does he intend to give Japan the capability to back up his words?”

As the 12-day hostage crisis came to a grim conclusion with the killing of Mr. Goto, the world has suddenly begun to look like a much more dangerous place to a peaceful and prosperous nation that had long seen itself as immune to the sorts of violence faced by the United States and its Western allies.

Some described a level of shock not unlike that experienced by the Americans after the 2001 terrorist attacks, or the French after last month’s assault on the newspaper Charlie Hebdo and the murders in a kosher supermarket.

“This is 9/11 for Japan,” said Kunihiko Miyake, a former high-ranking Japanese diplomat who has advised Mr. Abe on foreign affairs. “It is time for Japan to stop daydreaming that its good will and noble intentions would be enough to shield it from the dangerous world out there. Americans have faced this harsh reality, the French have faced it, and now we are, too.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Japan; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: isis; isisatrocities; isisbeheading; japan; japanhostages; revenge; terrorism
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To: SeekAndFind
They can fulfill Bill Clinton's adolescent fantasy of sending a band of ninja warriors into the stronghold of the jihadis.
21 posted on 02/01/2015 7:33:28 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: knarf

That sounds pretty insane, you should ask the moderator to remove it.


22 posted on 02/01/2015 7:35:05 PM PST by ansel12 (Civilization, Crusade against the Mohammedan Death Cult.)
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To: knarf
"Americans used to roar like lions for liberty. Now we bleat like sheep for security." --Norman Vincent Peale.
23 posted on 02/01/2015 7:36:44 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: Flatus I. Maximus; All
*we're here...
ready to serve
*

24 posted on 02/01/2015 7:39:01 PM PST by skinkinthegrass ("Bathhouse" E'Bola/0'Boehmer/0'McConnell; all STINK and their best friends are flies. d8^)
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To: Rome2000
The Japanese are a formidable enemy.

The diaperheads should be much more worried about the Russians. Ever see a Russian get beheaded?

25 posted on 02/01/2015 7:40:43 PM PST by AlaskaErik (I served and protected my country for 31 years. Progressives spent that time trying to destroy it.)
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To: Flatus I. Maximus; All
"Send in the Ninja"
*we're already here.
ready to serve
*

26 posted on 02/01/2015 7:42:09 PM PST by skinkinthegrass ("Bathhouse" E'Bola/0'Boehmer/0'McConnell; all STINK and their best friends are flies. d8^)
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To: SeekAndFind

Japan’s military is greatly curtailed in size and scope due to the unconditional surrender agreement signed in 1945, we all know that. The big question is, given those constraints, what can they do? Send in some candy-ass ‘peace keeping’ mission that will be taken as more hostages?


27 posted on 02/01/2015 7:46:08 PM PST by SpaceBar
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To: AlaskaErik; All
true..the Arabs, tried that in Beirut, Lebanon..the Arabs paid very dearly.

28 posted on 02/01/2015 7:46:18 PM PST by skinkinthegrass ("Bathhouse" E'Bola/0'Boehmer/0'McConnell; all STINK and their best friends are flies. d8^)
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To: SeekAndFind

Mothra, ninjas, yakuza, godzilla, speed racer...

Isis is doomed.


29 posted on 02/01/2015 7:49:48 PM PST by Born to Conserve
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To: Born to Conserve

You left out the Sumo wrestlers.


30 posted on 02/01/2015 7:50:30 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: SkyDancer

I remain puzzled that Russia did not aggressively and decisively take this issue on. Maybe it happened behind the curtain but retribution in this case should have been dynamic and conclusive with few remains left.


31 posted on 02/01/2015 7:53:19 PM PST by mcshot (OMG We're going down!)
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To: SkyDancer

“They always vow revenge but it never happens. ISIS always wins.”

The Japanese are the folks who put the ‘rape’ in the Rape Of Nanking”. Along with an “Off With Their Heads” routine that the Mad Queen would have envbied.

Muslims, historically speaking, have a long history of snatching defeat from the jaws of certain victory.

;-)


32 posted on 02/01/2015 7:56:11 PM PST by GladesGuru (Islam Delenda Est. Because of what Islam is - and because of what Muslims do.)
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To: Mears

I long for someone who has respect and love for this Country and who will defend it to the end; the dude in the well and those related be damned


33 posted on 02/01/2015 7:56:41 PM PST by mcshot (OMG We're going down!)
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To: mcshot

Russia will manipulate the situation for all it is worth.


34 posted on 02/01/2015 7:58:58 PM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (The Second Amendment, a Matter of Fact, Not A Matter of Opinion)
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To: SeekAndFind
"This is 9/11 for Japan"

It's getting old seeing bad, but in no way comparable acts, being compared to 9/11.

35 posted on 02/01/2015 7:59:39 PM PST by Flag_This (You can't spell "treason" without the "O".)
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To: SeekAndFind

Uh-oh. ISIS may have opened a can of worms.


36 posted on 02/01/2015 8:00:45 PM PST by Zionist Conspirator (Throne and Altar! [In Jerusalem!!!])
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To: SeekAndFind

Does the heart of the Samurai still beat in Japan? It seems ISIS might find out.


37 posted on 02/01/2015 8:05:59 PM PST by Ellendra (People who kill without reason cannot be reasoned with.)
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To: SkyDancer

“Islam will do what it wants in the US and the fed’s and local gov’t will go along with it. 9/11 to them never happened.”

It is said that a nation’s humor reflects is culture and past, so in that spirit:

A flight is delayed and an American Indian, a Cowboy, and a Muslim are waiting at a table in the airport when the Indian morosely said, “Once we were many, now we are few”.

The Muslim said, “Once we were few, now we are many, soon you will all be converted. What do you think of that?”

That’s when the Cowboy said, “We ain’t played Cowboys and Muslims, yet. But it’s a comin’.”

America is unique in that we are both heavily armed AND we see our leaders as elected servants, not masters.

IMHO, the last election was their last warning.


38 posted on 02/01/2015 8:09:59 PM PST by GladesGuru (Islam Delenda Est. Because of what Islam is - and because of what Muslims do.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I’m assuming Japan has access to weapons grade plutonium and yellow cake. Am I incorrect? They had a reactor at Fukushima.


39 posted on 02/01/2015 8:10:15 PM PST by 4Runner
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To: GladesGuru

Will soon come the time ... seems though that 0bama is on their side ....


40 posted on 02/01/2015 8:16:37 PM PST by SkyDancer (I Was Told Nobody Is Perfect But Yet, Here I Am ...)
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