Koizumi government's submission to the U.S. -- Akahata editorial, February 9, 2002

The United States is increasing moves toward expanding the retaliatory war beyond Afghanistan on the pretext of the need to combat terrorism.

U.S. President George W. Bush in his State of the Union address said, "What we found in Afghanistan confirms that, far from ending there, our war on terror is only beginning." He even named Somalia, the Philippines, North Korea, Iran, and Iraq as possible targets of U.S. military strikes.

Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Shii Kazuo in the House of Representatives Plenary Session asked Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro, "Do you choose such a submissive position to support present U.S. policies?" The prime minister replied that he would make a contribution based on Japan's own judgment.

U.S. under fire

A reason the U.S. president gave for expanding the war was that "terrorist camps still exist in at least a dozen countries." He also referred to states like North Korea as constituting"an axis of evil" that sponsors terrorists and posing a grave and growing danger by seeking weapons of mass destruction. He said the United States is prepared to use every possible counter-terrorism means. This means that the United States is allowed to carry out any military strikes once it concludes that there are terrorist forces or state sponsors of terrorists.

This is exactly what JCP Shii described as lawlessness that disrupts the world order of peace which is based on the United Nations Charter.

That is why the United States came under strong criticism not only from those countries that have been named as targets of U.S. military strikes but from all over the world, including NATO countries which cooperated in the U.S. air strikes against Afghanistan and Asian countries. The isolation of the United States is clearer than ever.

By contrast, Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi, far from expressing concern or criticism, has pledged further "contribution" to the U.S. war, which puts him in a very odd position.

In parliament, Koizumi stated that the United States does not discuss specifically what military action it will take. He is wrong. The U.S. president cited specific countries that will come under U.S. military strikes, and said, "I will not wait on events while the dangers gather," thus hinting at a first strike.

Japan's promise of "contribution" at this stage amounts to giving carte blanche to the U.S. Bush administration and expressing its readiness to cooperate with the United States in any U.S.-launched wars. This irresponsible and dangerous attitude only helps to undermine the safety of the people.

In the on-going U.S. retaliatory war, Japan is being used as a stepping stone for U.S. forces and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces are taking part in the war. The present problem is that Japan is going to be forced to serve as a foothold for expanding the war. In fact, Okinawa-based U.S. troops are now being trained in the Philippines for counter-terrorism war in the guise of U.S.-Philippine joint exercises.

The Quadrennial Defense Review, which the U.S. Department of Defense published soon after the simultaneous terrorist attacks, called for a change of U.S. military posture on a global scale, with capabilities of forward positioning including forcible entry troops, combat troops for forward deployment, and expeditionary troops. The U.S. Marines in Okinawa and other expeditionary troops will make forcible entry, even if the target country rejects it.

Threat to world peace

Clearly, the retaliatory war didn't help to root out terrorism. The U.S.-led air strikes, killed about 4,000 Afghan people, but have been unable to capture the mastermind of the simultaneous terrorist attacks.

When the U.S. president cited the still existing terrorist camps in many countries, he was confirming that the retaliatory war has not been able to eliminate terrorism.

To end terrorism, it is necessary for the international community to unite with the United Nations at the center. A retaliatory war does more harm than good.

Prime Minister Koizumi's total submission to the United States will be a serious threat to peace in Japan and the rest of the world. (end)