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In some ways I can understand why they are asking for a formal apology from a President, but I would argue that it is meaningless and perhaps creates a liability in the context of actual history including all of the actions by both Japan and the US (and everyone else.) On a moral level it is hard to argue WWII actions with any real purpose other than today's context of warfare, but it would be wrong to assume that either side has the high moral road here. We did plenty of things that are reprehensible and so did they (and well as everyone is in WWII.)
I can see showing respect for all we have accomplished with Japan ever since WWII, and I can see showing respect for their memorials of what they lost. But I find it problematic to issue a formal apology for actions we cannot really undo or diminish in impact.
More importantly, I generally do not like the idea of an apology tour by any President as usually we are talking about today's advantageous goals against prior actions we cannot control. As the OP points out it is unlikely there will be a corresponding apology for all the actions that took place in the Pacific Theater of WWII (come to think of it, including actions taken before WWII broke out.)
Where does it end?
A-Bomb Survivors Want Obama to Meet, Apologize in Hiroshima - ABC News
So the japs want an apology for the nuclear bombs but are still unwilling to give one for pearl harbor.
I largely agree, but Japan has formally apologized for their war crimes. I don't see why we shouldn't apologize for our war crimes. (And justified or not, dropping an atomic bomb on top of a civilian population chosen because it had such a high civilian population is, by definition, a war crime.)
It doesn't cost anyone anything for denouncing specific tactics used during war that were wrong. It's not like we lose the war, or like we're going to spend the next 40 years apologizing to Japan for every time we fire bombed their civilian populations.
A-Bomb Survivors Want Obama to Meet, Apologize in Hiroshima - ABC News
So the japs want an apology for the nuclear bombs but are still unwilling to give one for pearl harbor.
I just now noticed that. That is pretty dishonest, huh?Holy ****ing dishonest thread title. A few Japanese people would like an apology is not nearly the same thing as Japan wants an apology...
A-Bomb Survivors Want Obama to Meet, Apologize in Hiroshima - ABC News
So the japs want an apology for the nuclear bombs but are still unwilling to give one for pearl harbor.
...Two leaders of the Tokyo-based nationwide group told a news conference Thursday that many survivors still want an apology, though they have long avoided an outright demand for one out of fear that it would be counterproductive.
Toshiki Fujimori, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, said he found it awkward to hear local and central government officials say they are not asking for an apology....
I just now noticed that. That is pretty dishonest, huh?
A-Bomb Survivors Want Obama to Meet, Apologize in Hiroshima - ABC News
So the japs want an apology for the nuclear bombs but are still unwilling to give one for pearl harbor.
It happens a lot. People misrepresent their own sources a ton, which is why it pays to read the sources.
Forget it. Japan owes an apology to the survivors and their families for not giving up when they should have.
A-Bomb Survivors Want Obama to Meet, Apologize in Hiroshima - ABC News
So the japs want an apology for the nuclear bombs but are still unwilling to give one for pearl harbor.
Holy ****ing dishonest thread title. A few Japanese people would like an apology is not nearly the same thing as Japan wants an apology...
Wait... what? :shock:
Just a few 180,000, small potatoes...
In today's context what we did in WWII was a war crime. However, that is another mistake we are making. Taking historical actions that we cannot undo and re-judging them in today's context and asking for formal apologies (well after the conditions of a war or conflict coming to an end.)
It is still a reasonable question in my opinion to evaluate the idea of "where does it end?"
How far back, to whom, and what should we be demanding in response from those associated nations? Should we be looking at WWI actions? How far back do we need to go to satisfy everyone?
(And note, those are very loaded questions as ultimately it is impossible to appease everyone that wants something today to make up or apologize for actions that precede us by generations in some cases.)
That is about 1 % of the Japanese population, and assumes all the survivors want an apology. So the point stands, you where being incredibly dishonest.
I thought the point was linking an apology to President Obama's visit - the first visit by a sitting US President to the site of the bombing.
Only thing served by nit picking is to deflect from the real potential problem and the issue of an apology.
Then why did he lie about it?
Going to Japan is not a problem. Obama, in deciding to go to Hiroshima, has done nothing inappropriate. If he apologized, that might be something to complain about. He has not done that. He might not(probably won't) do that. Crying that it is possible that maybe in the future some one might possibly, but probably won't, do something they might not like is about painfully ****ing silly.
And now that I have that out of the way, the thread title is a flat out lie still, despite your trying to deflect from that.
I thought the point was linking an apology to President Obama's visit - the first visit by a sitting US President to the site of the bombing.
Only thing served by nit picking is to deflect from the real potential problem and the issue of an apology.
Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees. Carry on with your petty outrage while others maybe would like to discuss the actual issue.
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