04-29-2007
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Joint Chiefs of Staff Member
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Member Since: Feb 2007
Location: Tucson
Posts: 1,157
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Re: Forced sex okayed for US troops
This is proof enough for me - A Dec. 6, 1945, memorandum from Lt. Col. Hugh McDonald, a senior officer with the Public Health and Welfare Division of the occupation's General Headquarters, shows U.S. occupation forces were aware the Japanese comfort women were often coerced.
"The girl is impressed into contracting by the desperate financial straits of her parents and their urging, occasionally supplemented by her willingness to make such a sacrifice to help her family," he wrote. "It is the belief of our informants, however, that in urban districts the practice of enslaving girls, while much less prevalent than in the past, still exists."
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Originally Posted by agoodfella
First, the US government and military's involvement with regards to the brothels is not 100% clear as the article suggests. At a minimum, the US was complicit to the extent that tacit approval was given -- the issue of whether or not the US KNEW about this is not in question. At worst, we were passive participants who looked the other way.
Did I say that we should apologize for every brothel ever created? No. Please don't put words in my mouth.
Further, this situation refers to the period of US occupation in Japan which is clearly POST-WAR. So this "well war is hell and shit happens" excuse doesn't apply. Further, what is clear with regards to these so-called "comfort women" is that many if not most of these women who served in these so-called "brothels" were women of both Japanese and other Asian nationalities who were taken against their will from countries that Japan occupied. These weren't "whores" looking to make a quick buck. These were innocent victims of war perpetrated by a brutal imperial army with an official policy for the creation of sex slaves to service the Japanese imperial army. This was absolutely a crime against humanity by an reasonable measure. If the US was a willing partner and helped perpetuate this policy post-war, then yes, we ABSOLUTELY need to apologize for it. To what extent is unclear as I said before.
Even it it WERE in a time of war, are you saying that since things such as rape and murder happen in a time of war "we should not give a shit"?
Why should we apologize? Please re-read my comments in post #29.
I believe this is a situation which must be examined further. Once the facts become clear, and if warranted, the US should apologize.
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And there is distrust in Washington. I am surprised, frankly, at the amount of distrust that exists in this town. And I'm sorry it's the case, and I'll work hard to try to elevate it." --George W. Bush, Jan. 29, 2007
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