World of Opinion
On the former defense minister’s atomic bomb comment: More than 200,000 lives perished in the atomic bomb attacks against Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Many people are still suffering from the aftereffects of radiation.
In a shocking display of insensitivity, Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma said Saturday that the use of the atomic bombs “could not be helped.”
Accepting the past use of nuclear weapons as something inevitable means tolerating the use of nuclear arms in the future if necessary. Such view makes a total mockery of Japan’s postwar campaign to push the world toward the elimination of all nuclear weapons.
Japan’s diplomatic attempt to make the atrocities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki known to the rest of the world has often been criticized by the United States and other Asian nations. These countries say Japan had it coming because Japan started the war. They also argue that the atomic bombs finally brought an end to the brutal war.
There is no easy solution to this dispute. But Japan’s position should be that the indiscriminate killings of innocent and defenseless Japanese civilians are still unpardonable, even though Japan started the war and caused huge damage to many other countries.
On NATO strikes in Afghanistan:
When it comes to war, it is impossible to completely avoid what is called “collateral damage”, and a conflict without civilian victims has never existed. But if the rhythm of the “accidents” keeps accelerating, as is happening in Afghanistan, and if the number of deaths goes beyond humanitarian and political acceptable boundaries, the problem changes. An alliance of democracies that wants to bring order and democracy, cannot calmly accept hundreds of innocent deaths. Its own nature, the credibility of its values … and the effectiveness of a mission which asks the population to distance itself from the Taliban are at stake. Therefore, the strategy of some of the NATO contingents (firstly, the U.S. air force) is in need of change.
It is perfectly believable that guerrilla groups methodically use civilians as “shields” against air incursions. To neutralize this tactic in the restive provinces of the south, one would need to increase ground forces, so as to make the imprecise … air raids less necessary. Would it be possible to do so? The answer is no – and NATO knows it well. The alliance has already struggled to obtain the minimum amount of ground troops it needed, but in Brussels, everyone knows that it will be nearly impossible (to get more).
On President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin:
The outcome of the Kennebunkport meeting must be described as modest.
The best result is that the political climate between the bygone enemies has not deteriorated, but no clear message was given that Russia will support sanctions against Iran.
Before his large audience at home, Putin emerged as a statesman that enjoys respect at the White House.
For President Bush, the outcome has limited itself to underline that he has the responsibility for the United States’ strategic foreign policy but because of his disastrous action in Iraq, he does not have the same clout his predecessors had.