Comments on: Top o’ the morning to you too, Collie. http://www.wordsend.org/2004/08/13/top-o-the-morning-to-you-too-collie/ searching for the ineffable Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:52:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: stacy http://www.wordsend.org/2004/08/13/top-o-the-morning-to-you-too-collie/comment-page-1/#comment-274 stacy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=392#comment-274 Hmmmm. Once again, I am No Fan of the Administration, but Powell's comments in this case don't sound that unreasonable to me. (Unless, of course, there's more to what was said than I see in this article.) It doesn't look like he's telling Japan "revise your constitution," since the article includes his line "Whether or not Article Nine should be modified or changed is absolutely and entirely up to the Japanese people to decide." It looks like he's saying 'hey, if you want this Sec Council seat, it's probably incompatible with your current policy of not having a military that could be used in ways we ask Council members to use them.' Whether or not that *should* be the expecation on Council members sounds like a reasonable debate, but if that's the policy currently, then pointing out the conflict doesn't seem unreasonable. Also, regarding Jenkins, I don't think there's much doubt about his deserting. I mean, absolutely, give the guy a trial if he wants to protest innocence or argue mitigating factors, but my impression of what's happened with him is that there's very little factual doubt that he intentionally defected to NK. Hmmmm. Once again, I am No Fan of the Administration, but Powell’s comments in this case don’t sound that unreasonable to me. (Unless, of course, there’s more to what was said than I see in this article.) It doesn’t look like he’s telling Japan “revise your constitution,” since the article includes his line “Whether or not Article Nine should be modified or changed is absolutely and entirely up to the Japanese people to decide.” It looks like he’s saying ‘hey, if you want this Sec Council seat, it’s probably incompatible with your current policy of not having a military that could be used in ways we ask Council members to use them.’ Whether or not that *should* be the expecation on Council members sounds like a reasonable debate, but if that’s the policy currently, then pointing out the conflict doesn’t seem unreasonable.

Also, regarding Jenkins, I don’t think there’s much doubt about his deserting. I mean, absolutely, give the guy a trial if he wants to protest innocence or argue mitigating factors, but my impression of what’s happened with him is that there’s very little factual doubt that he intentionally defected to NK.

]]> By: vika http://www.wordsend.org/2004/08/13/top-o-the-morning-to-you-too-collie/comment-page-1/#comment-275 vika Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=392#comment-275 Stacy - I don't know. Japan is a first-world power, with a lot of clout. I don't believe that the Security Council should only resolve things by sending in military, and in any case, Japan's input would be invaluable, there. How many countries are sitting on the Security Council right now that have a good idea of the Eastern mindset, and diplomatic skills to boot? But the SC doesn't play policeman to the-world-minus-the-Far-East, it goes anywhere it feels there's a need for military intervention. To say to a reasonably strong, pacifist country "get your war on or you can't play in our sandbox, but WE will come over to your house if we feel like it" is, in my opinion, unreasonable and insulting. Stacy – I don’t know. Japan is a first-world power, with a lot of clout. I don’t believe that the Security Council should only resolve things by sending in military, and in any case, Japan’s input would be invaluable, there. How many countries are sitting on the Security Council right now that have a good idea of the Eastern mindset, and diplomatic skills to boot? But the SC doesn’t play policeman to the-world-minus-the-Far-East, it goes anywhere it feels there’s a need for military intervention. To say to a reasonably strong, pacifist country “get your war on or you can’t play in our sandbox, but WE will come over to your house if we feel like it” is, in my opinion, unreasonable and insulting.

]]> By: maga http://www.wordsend.org/2004/08/13/top-o-the-morning-to-you-too-collie/comment-page-1/#comment-276 maga Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=392#comment-276 Let's just ignore *why* Japan's got a pacifist constitution in the first place, shall we... just like we're ignoring why the Middle East is so grumpy... Yep, deeply ridiculous. Can we invade Switzerland now for being dirty pacifists? Can we? Can we? I want Idi's stash, goddamn it! Let’s just ignore *why* Japan’s got a pacifist constitution in the first place, shall we… just like we’re ignoring why the Middle East is so grumpy…

Yep, deeply ridiculous. Can we invade Switzerland now for being dirty pacifists? Can we? Can we? I want Idi’s stash, goddamn it!

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