The American Spectator

p> ROSES FOR TOKYO br> Re: George H. Wittman’s The Nuances of Co-Prosperity : /p>

Mr. Wittman’s article seems to convey a concern over the fact that Japan, a reliable U.S. ally for over fifty years, is now asserting its foreign policy independence. I must say, I don’t understand his fear of a resurgent Japan. In my mind, the rise of Japan in the post-WWII years is one of the very few positive geo-political developments for the U.S. Japan has proven itself to be the only non-Anglo country that has been consistently supportive of the U.S. in times of crisis. As the second-largest economy in the world, their somewhat obsequious deference to U.S. foreign policy interests has been a major stumbling block to their full integration into the modern defense framework. It is rarely mentioned in the leftist MSM, but the fact is that today the U.S. (having about 26% of world GDP) and Japan (having about 17% of world GDP) generates about half of all of the industrial output of the developed world. Why castigate the Japanese for now requiring the rightful recognition commensurate with their strengths?

p>When I consider the history of the past fifty years, during which our European “allies” have continually acted counter to our attempts to secure their defense (which is a development that I find beyond rational understanding), the inconsistent support of the Indian sub-continent (regardless of today’s lukewarm business relationship), and the fact that we have had outright shooting wars with Russia and China (directly and through their proxies), I have to conclude that aligning ourselves with the Japanese is a no-brainer, not something to fret over. Let our other erstwhile “allies” and avowed enemies be forced to make their accommodations to the growing U.S.-Japan alliance. What could be better! br> — Harry Hill /p> p> BIG BAD JOHN br> Re: Doug Bandow’s John McCain: Beyond the Fusionist Pale