Another US serviceman was arrested in Japan this past Friday on suspicion of being under the influence while driving.
According to preliminary reports Fernandez Lusz, 27, a marine stationed at Futenma Air Base in Okinawa, was arrested after a Japanese woman said her car was hit by Luis' car. No one was injured in the accident, though Luis denies being drunk.
Crap. Even if Luis wasn't drunk, Japan and the media are looking for anything to paint the US presence in Japan in a negative light. At this time I have no idea if Luis was drunk or not... and I'll give him the benefit of a doubt.
However, the military personnel do need to step up and start acting like they are in the military and are guests in a foreign country. There are many people who resent the way a few bad apples in the military have been acting - and who can blame them? But, for Luis' sake, I hope it was just a simple car accident and nothing more.
I understand Japan's frustration over the actions of the men on leave in the country. Disgraceful. But let's not condemn the entire military. We tend to forget when convenient that Japan needs the US military presence to help it stem the tide of Chinese expansionism that it seems intent on pursuing.
Granted the US is not taking sides in the dispute over a few small islands in the Japanese southwest, but neither does it want to see China start taking over islands. The US watched Japan do that for years prior to it having to get involved in WWII two years after it began after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Yeah... the US sat back and watched the world try and kill each other for two years during WWII.
Regardless... small soapbox aside, Japan can not adequately defend itself and need the US - especially at this point in time. And while the US likes to be liked, it needs to get a better handle on its servicemen to make sure it doesn't hurt the people it is there to try and protect.
Cheers
Andrew Joseph
According to preliminary reports Fernandez Lusz, 27, a marine stationed at Futenma Air Base in Okinawa, was arrested after a Japanese woman said her car was hit by Luis' car. No one was injured in the accident, though Luis denies being drunk.
Crap. Even if Luis wasn't drunk, Japan and the media are looking for anything to paint the US presence in Japan in a negative light. At this time I have no idea if Luis was drunk or not... and I'll give him the benefit of a doubt.
However, the military personnel do need to step up and start acting like they are in the military and are guests in a foreign country. There are many people who resent the way a few bad apples in the military have been acting - and who can blame them? But, for Luis' sake, I hope it was just a simple car accident and nothing more.
I understand Japan's frustration over the actions of the men on leave in the country. Disgraceful. But let's not condemn the entire military. We tend to forget when convenient that Japan needs the US military presence to help it stem the tide of Chinese expansionism that it seems intent on pursuing.
Granted the US is not taking sides in the dispute over a few small islands in the Japanese southwest, but neither does it want to see China start taking over islands. The US watched Japan do that for years prior to it having to get involved in WWII two years after it began after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Yeah... the US sat back and watched the world try and kill each other for two years during WWII.
Regardless... small soapbox aside, Japan can not adequately defend itself and need the US - especially at this point in time. And while the US likes to be liked, it needs to get a better handle on its servicemen to make sure it doesn't hurt the people it is there to try and protect.
Cheers
Andrew Joseph
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