I was just stationed there about two months ago...just a few thoughts. 1. Not all Okinawan locals want us to leave. While I was there, it was opinions were divided. We have had a presence there for so long that much of their economy is dependent on US forces being there. 2. The purpose of the heavy US presence in Okinawa as well as mainland Japan and South Korea is due to the geographic location. Too many possible conflicts with North Korea and China. 3. Crimes (murder, rape) are going to happen regardless of whether we are there or not. This one is scrutinized because the guy was a veteran and works on base. I am not saying what this guy did was right. If he is capable of raping and killing, he would eventually do the same thing to someone else in the states.
Thank you for bringing some more info to this. Some other things that many here might not know about the situation is that the most of Japan wants the US to maintain its presence. Okinawa though isn't most of Japan and isn't even considered one of the home islands. There are other tensions between the Okinawans and the rest of Japan and my understanding is that this issue is also tied up with a Ryukyu (the island chain Okinawa is part of) independence movement. That said as Deekay pointed out above it's not a universal feeling in Okinawa for the US military to leave as it does bring a lot of money to an economy that otherwise would be primarily agriculture and tourism based. The vast majority of Okinawans though would like the US military gone.
I think everyone needs to realize that the overwhelming majority of soldiers there didn't do this crap. That being said, it wasn't just one incident. It is a series of incidents and if you can't correct it the first few times, then it only seems right that we should pull out. But it also goes beyond that, with N. Korea destabilizing the region, and us being the stabilizing force in the area, it could hurt. I see both sides of the situation.
As I said earlier, I don't think we will pull out and we shouldn't. I'll add that as big as the threat from NK is, and it is a threat, especially with nuclear weapons, China represents another major threat to stability in the East China Sea and elsewhere. We are needed and we are needed in Okinawa. Japan wants us there, and I see no reasonable alternative. Had the Philippines let us keep our major bases in their country, Okinawa, while still important, wouldn't have been as important. We also wouldn't be seeing the imperialist actions of China in the South China Sea, in my opinion. In 2012, China forcefully moved the Philippines out of Scarborough Shoal, an area well within that country's EEZ, only a little over a hundred miles from their coast, and an action in violation of international law. That would never have happened had the US still had our bases at Subic Bay and Clark Airfield, and telling us to leave is now something the Philippines regrets. There are reports that China is surveying Scarborough Shoal, the kind of surveying they did before constructing their illegal "islands" that have destabilized the area and that threaten open conflict with other countries with legal EEZ claims, some of them treaty allies, which could very well draw in our own country. "Islands" not recognized under international law. This may be where we finally say no. I hope so. We should support our ally and tell China, "Enough, and no more." China wants to act because the International Court in The Hague is about to rule against them in a legal action the Philippines took after being pushed out of Scarborough Shoal. Unsurprisingly, given the actions of China thus far, China has been saying that they will not recognize the ruling. It is far past time that we did something about China's actions in the South China Sea, and we need to continue our support of Japan and South Korea in the East China Sea. Okinawa is an integral part of keeping the peace in the region. The United States and Japan should do everything they can to reduce friction on the island. It has taken Japan forever to enable moving the location of some critical bases. They need to act, like yesterday.
Sure we can pull out... and Japan can completely fend for itself against North Korea and China. Based on history there will be lots of rapes and murders in Japan. The reality is that the Japanese government doesn't want us to pull out, they benefit economically and from a security stand point. It is natural to not liking another nation on your soil but the alternative has to be considered. As far as violence/exploitation by US servicemen, it is deplorable and must be severely punished. Part of the problem is that the best and the brightest don't join the military, a lot of mouth breathers, social misfits and some bright/hardworking folks... But we need to teach respect of locals and also appeal to a higher quality of soldier. In general I believe the USA and their allies benefit from the bases. Some permanent bases in the Mid East would help.
The question is if there is a culture of this type of behavior being encouraged at the base or the military.
I don't think it is. You have thousands of young men and women, full of piss and vinegar, who are in a very demanding profession, a profession that may very well ask for the ultimate sacrifice for our country, blowing off steam. A few clearly don't belong in the military, or anywhere that's not a prison. The powers that be need to improve the vetting of our people, but a few bad choices will eventually fall through the cracks. Procedures need to be improved at the bases to prevent anything that harms those living in the areas around them, many making their living from those bases, but "encouraged?" No. I don't believe it is.
Then so long as the military goes after those who violate the local laws with seriousness, I don't think the military should be blamed.
It looks to me in that picture that it's mostly all men (only men in the actual picture) they probably want all those military men out to. I assume some of those soldiers date the women that live there in different capacities. I'm sure as a whole though they want that base gone though.
From what I've heard is that the Okinawans also complain that the US military base attracts criminal elements from other parts of Japan who peddle prostitution and drugs to the US military. Also for a long time US service men weren't subject to the local judiciary and it was only relatively recently that because of the outcry from Japanese that US servicemen who commit crimes against locals are subject to local courts. Another thing also is that Okinawa was under US control following WWII until the 1970's. The Okinawans have felt that they had little say in having the US military and have been under the control of the rest of Japan and the US.
Regarding Subic Bay and Clark Airfield it should be remembered that the Philippines didn't want the US there anymore. Following the fall of the Marcos regime the US military was widely viewed as being linked to Marcos and a source of corruption and crime. The PRC wasn't as strong then as now and not seen as much of regional threat, especially a naval threat. The Philippines now feel threatened by the PRC, and also by continuing Muslim insurgency, so have pulled back closer to the US. I'm not sure though there is a clamor among the Filipinos to reestablish a permanent US military presence along the lines of Subic Bay and Clark.
I clearly said that they asked us to leave and am certainly aware of the political reasons that caused it. A "clamor" among Filipinos for our return? Clamor might be too strong a word, one I didn't use, but I stand by what I said that they, certainly the Filipino government and numerous Filipinos, now regret our departure due to the imperial aspirations of China, who is actively flaunting international law and throwing it in their faces. Permanent bases? I very much doubt that that sort of arrangement will return, but had we continued to have access to those bases, bases returned to full Filipino control, with a rotating and reduced US presence such as we've been seeing develop in Eastern Europe, China wouldn't have enjoyed bullying possibly the weakest country in the region of any size when it comes to their military. Heck, Singapore, a city state, could sweep the Navy of the Philippines from the sea without working up a sweat. China is eagerly pushing around those far weaker than her, claiming vast areas that do not belong to her under international law, making up reasons for such actions that are absurd. The International Court of Justice in The Hague, the primary judicial branch of the United Nations is, according to everything I've read, about to rule in favor of the Philippines, and China has already said, repeatedly, that she will ignore such a ruling. China blandly states that she has the "support of many countries " for her actions, going so far as to tell outright lies regarding certain countries that, after hearing what China said, strongly denied it. Are we to sit by while an ally is being treated in such a way? I don't think we should. The Philippines is a poor country who is eager to exploit the natural resources that lay under the sea within her EEZ, and a country wanting to do what all countries with a coastline all over the world want to do, retain control of the fishing rights in areas that belong to her. China is stealing her patrimony out of pure greed, because she thinks she can get away with it.
Any time a substantial foreign population resides in a place, there will be conflicts with the locals and crimes committed by members of this population are going to be amplified. We see this happen even in college towns here in the US where local townies often have some grudge against the students (and school employees). Not sure how much worse, if at all, the US military members are than the locals in terms of crimes, but it is natural for the crimes committed by the foreigners to attract attention.
Having experience with Okinawa, I will say that it is certainly a frenemy/love/hate relationship with the US military. Someone said that the "vast majority" of Okinawans want the US to leave. This is probably not true. Most actually understand that their entire economy, their businesses, and most of their livelihoods depend on the US base. I large number of native Japanese directly work ON the base, and the majority have some dependency for their livelihood on the base. The crime itself is inexcusable, but things like that are bound to happen due to the sheer size of the base and the large numbers (10's of thousands). With that number of people, crime will happen just based on numbers. As for the Okinawans themselves, many feel that their own government does not give them enough of a voice in the relationship between Japan and the US. In fact, many in Okinawa see themselves more as Okinawans and less as Japanese due to this fact. One of the major grievances in the relationship is intra-Japanese between the island and the mainland. While many in Okinawa feel the base is "not necessary" most do not want it kicked out entirely. There is also a pretty large age gap in the opinion. Younger Okinawans are less likely to have negative feelings to the US presence than the older generation. The key: Okinawa is a strategic base for the US in the Pacific, and is most likely necessary as a check and balance against China and North Korea. Japan and the US know this, and deep down, most people understand this. While we probably do maintain too many bases throughout the world, many of which may be unnecessary, Okinawa is not one of them. It is basically the forward projection of a huge amount of US air power in the Pacific.
Or maybe, the US sees an opportunity to go put bases back in the PI so they are trying to show support? The 'new' US doesn't help out other countries unless they have a vested interest. In this case, PRC discovered oil in some of those islands and are now in contention on who has the rights to them.
The US military should hire full time prostitutes to work military bases in foreign countries, so that the personnel do not have to fraternize with the locals to get their rocks off. Prostitutes have followed armies for as long as there have been armies. We can't expect to put tens of thousands of high testosterone killing machines that have a sexual imbalance on the order of 10 to 1 anywhere and have no untoward behaviors occur. This would also cut down on the instances of rape among female troops. 18 to 30 year old males generally have a strong sexual appetite. Pretending that it doesn't exist is not a solution.
It was the dumbass government and the military who thought Hirohito was a living god who pushed for the war. People in Okinawa actually hated the mainland Japanese government. The Japanese government killed local Okinawan civilians if they were caught speaking their mother tongue instead of Japanese. The government and the military at that time was responsible for Pearl Harbor. The local people of Okinawa have gotten the short end of the deal. It should be the bureaucrats and politicians in Tokyo who are responsible.
The bases are there as much to watch them as they are to protect them. This is the only country on earth we've used the bombs against, and every precaution needs to be taken based on that fact alone.
