From reading this article (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/cur/Baker_00/2002-p4/baker_p4_12-01_jf_zw/Images/macarthur.gif&imgrefurl=http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/cur/Baker_00/2002-p4/baker_p4_12-01_jf_zw/&h=384&w=449&sz=28&hl=en&start=291&um=1&tbnid=8-W31XIoQuF3-M:&tbnh=109&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djapanese%2Bwomen%2Bafter%2BwwII%26sta rt%3D280%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3D en%26sa%3DN) about Japans Surrender to Gen McArthur after WWII, it states that the US Occupied Japan only until 1952, then afterwards Japan was once again left to become an independent nation.

My question is: How can they no longer be an "occupied" nation when out military is still there :@@:

Someone please explain this to me :(

It's my understanding that the term "occupied nation" means that a nation's government is under the control of a foreign invader, with that invader's military especially calling the shots.

Tho our military is still there, we have no say in their government.

Iraq we occupy, Korea, Germany, Japan, and even Austraila, we dont.

Exactly what Rendova said.

O.K....so.. why is our military still present in these areas, and why won't they (we) leave ?

I'm still somewhat confused. :@@:

Speaking for Japan....mainly for defense--theirs and ours.

Her's a link to a good website that explains more:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/dod/usfj.htm

That was very informative..Thanks :cool:

We have bases in those places because we have an interest there, and it helps us to deploy our troops wherever we need them in the world easily. We are in South Korea to deter the North from doing anything stupid, like attacking the South. We are still in Germany, and everyone there deploys to the Middle East for the most part. We are in Japan still for protection as well, Japan doesnt really have a much of a military since WWII. The countries that host us, for the most part want us to be there, the troops help their economies for one, and your country is automatically an ally of the US if we have a base there, so that helps too.
Iraq on the other hand, is still a warzone, so we occupy. If that country were to become stable, and a goverment was put in place, 90% of those troops would come home, and we would no longer occupy that country. We'd probably just have one or two bases, and its'd be like Germany, Korea, or Japan.

It's a question of sovereingty. I'm not sure how it was before 1952, but Japan isn't occupied. The Japanese have their own nation, make their own laws, govern themselves. As phyrex said, the bases their were original for deploying troops during the Cold War, now it has more to do with North Korea and China, which aren't allies of either Japan or the U.S. Again, there is money to be made, by a foreign power, hosting U.S. forces. And there is the fact that with U.S. forces their, a nation doesn't has to spend so much money defending their own country. Which can be a bad thing. Germany comes to mind on this one, dammit.

How about Cuba?

The US does not control the Cuban government but they have certainly stolen land for military bases there. Seems like occupation to me.

Thanks everyone :cool:

How about Cuba?

The US does not control the Cuban government but they have certainly stolen land for military bases there. Seems like occupation to me.

They 'stole' land? Are you referring to the land that we are leasing from them?

They 'stole' land? Are you referring to the land that we are leasing from them?
No, that's just guerilla spewing nonsense. It was about time again, he seems to be on a regular schedule.

We are in those countries as guestd, not asa occupiers. When you occupy a country the country doesn't have a say in the matter. Japan, and Germany do.

We are in those countries as guestd, not asa occupiers. When you occupy a country the country doesn't have a say in the matter. Japan, and Germany do.


Don't forget that it was freethinker that posted an article about how the Germans were angry when the U.S. decided to close a base or two in Germany. Loss of jobs and all. Only with the United States can a nation be angry with foreign troops being WITHDRAWN from a country, dammit.