Network to Close U.S. Military Bases in Okinawa, Japan

Tag Archives: John Feffer

A Briefing with Mayor of Nago City on Capitol Hill, Wed., Feb. 8th 2012 11am-Noon

February 5, 2012 by Editor
On January 25, 2012, Representatives Barney Frank, Rush D. Holt, Barbara Lee, and Lynn C. Woolsey sent a letter to President Obama requesting that the U.S. Marines withdraw from Okinawa.A briefing will be held with the Mayor of Nago-City, Okinawa and Japanese Parliament Members to talk about U.S. military spending and closing the Futenma Marine Corps Air Station at Capitol Hill, on Wed., Feb. 8th 2012, from 11am-Noon.

“Moving from War to Peace in East Asia” workshop & candlelight vigil in Washington D.C. on July 27, 2011

July 21, 2011 by Editor
On the anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice on July 27, Washington, D.C. will be the site of a workshop and candlelight vigil supporting peace for Korea and East Asia:"Moving from War to Peace in East Asia Workshop" 5:30 to 7 p.m., Wednesday on July 27, 2011 at the Institute for Policy Studies and a Candlelight Vigil: "Convert Korean War Armistice to Peace Treaty" on the same date, from 7:30 pm to 9 pm in front of the White House (Lafayette Square).

John Feffer: Jim Webb’s Parting Shots (on Okinawa & more)

July 20, 2011 by Editor
In this June 16, 2011 tribute to Senator Jim Webb, John Feffer reflects on the Webb-Levin-McCain alternative to the Obama administration's plan to build another U.S. military base in Okinawa:In mid-May, he teamed up with Carl Levin (D-MI) and John McCain (R-AZ) to issue a statement offering an alternative to the current U.S. plan to build another military base in Okinawa and expand the existing facilities on Guam. The Obama administration has been so hell-bent on creating another U.S. base on Okinawa, over the objections of the vast majority of the citizens of the Japanese island, that it went so far as to precipitate the resignation of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama when he had the temerity to balk at the economic and political costs.At a time when the administration has asked the Pentagon to contribute to overall budget cutting, the price tag for the reorganization of U.S. force structure in the Pacific is both enormous (over $27 billion) and, according to a recent GAO report, consistently underestimated. Webb's alternative – moving capabilities from the aging Futenma Marine air base to the nearby Kadena Air Force base – is not ideal, but it's at least a starting point for discussion. But the Obama administration, which has prided itself on its ability to listen, has closed its ears both to Okinawans and the Webb-Levin-McCain initiative.

Is another Pacific War inevitable? John Feffer says “No” & brings clarity & hope to the issue of excessive military spending in the Asia-Pacific

April 19, 2011 by Editor
Some pundits tell us the U.S. is going to war with a "rising China" in the near future. That's why they want to spend more on missile defense surrounding China, military expansion in South Korea and Guam, and another U.S. military mega-base on Okinawa (although 30 facilities already exist on 20% of the island).But is another Pacific War inevitable?John Feffer says "No" and brings clarity and hope to a discussion on excessive global military spending and how we can stop the march towards more wars in this great National Public Radio (NPR) interview, with good audience Q&A.Feffer, a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the D.C.-based think tank that sponsors the Network for Okinawa, explains how the Global Day of Action on Military Spending came into being and how we can reenvision our common future.

Okinawans Continue to Resist in Takae

February 26, 2011 by Editor
John Feffer reports on the disappointing survival of the costly, accident-prone V-22 Osprey in the latest round of Washington budget cuts. Lobbyists for the long-criticized aircraft (called a "turkey" by Dick Cheney) won their fight for profit against advocates of sound government spending.Feffer comments on the American subsidization of the forced construction of unwanted U.S. helipads in Okinawa, where environmentalists and local democratic activists are engaged in a daily nonviolent struggle with military construction workers: "It's bad enough that U.S. taxpayers have to continue to support the care and feeding of this particular Osprey. Worse, we're inflicting the bird on others."

Who Killed Hatoyama’s Career?

June 4, 2010 by Editor
John Feffer from the Institute for Policy Studies discusses the resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama.