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28 February 2022

Film "Platoon" America is no longer the police of the world

Academy winning film (1986) directed by Oliver Stone. 

A young American boy joined the military force combatting in South Vietnam, and witnessed the hell including division within the comrades. 

Although it gained a good reputation, it wasn't as good as I expected. 

I liked "Born on the 4th of July" better among Oliver Stone's Vietnam films. 

The cause for the Vietnam War was to defend Vietnamese from communism. 

But they failed. Then they failed in Iraq and Afghanistan later. 

Now the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out. US seemed to side Ukraine but announced they would not send any troops to help Ukraine fight against Russians. It was a kind of betrayal act since US said they would not block Ukraine from joining NATO and in the past signed the memorandum that ensures security of Ukraine in exchange for abandoning nuclear weapons of former Soviet Union. 

America proved themselves to be no police of the world. 

So please remove unnecessary forces from our country and stop building a new base on a beautiful island and the sea along the island as I mentioned in this post

war,vietnam, Okinawa

Learning more about history of America's vietnam war and the island where a new base is being built currently, I came up with a novel and started to write on my Japanese blog. The story took place on the island. A Japanese female singer in 21st century time-slipped to the Vietnam war era in a bar on the island and met with American soldiers. 

War, Vietnam

After I finish writing up the story, I am planning to post English translation on this blog. 

16 September 2021

911 has become a history

This month marked 20th anniversary of the terror attack to the World Trade Center in New York. 

20 years ago I watched a news program on TV. Then suddenly the scene of airplane crash into the buildings were shown. An hour later the two building collapsed. Around 3000 people died. I truly tribute to the victims. 

I remember I was on the World Trade Center rooftop 8 years before that terror attack when I was a college student in US. 

It was like being on top of the world. 

terror, 911, history, World Trade Center 

terror, 911, history, World Trade Center

Now since that day the place is known as "Ground Zero." Where I used to stand has become a memorial site. 

Then the fightback war in Afghanistan started followed by the war in Iraq for ambiguos reasons. 10 years ago, Osama Binladin was killed. 

Last month US withdrew troops from Afghanistan after Taliban regime who harbored Osama Binladin and his terror group Al Qaeda took over the country's capital. 13 US service persons were killed by the terror attack just a few days before the pullout. 

This incident gave the world impression that the US was defeated by Taliban and Al Qaeda. Surely it never really meant US lost in the global war on terror. The fight still continues over the horizon. 

But what has been happening over these 20 years? 

My image of America has gone bad since 911. Many civilian casualties was numbered. But most Americans justified military actions that could cost civilian death except people like Peaceful Tomorrows. A liberal and kind American friend I knew turned very aggressive and supported the war. It seemed the world I knew flipped up side down. 

These days I am disgusted with America. 

Especially because of US military issue, as this post describes.

Dear US Government re: request for terminating USMC new base construction in Okinawa, Japan

The US military destroys Japan's precious environment and is undermining Japan's national sovereignty. 

In fact, America itself turned very ugly nation as the former President Trump symbolised such movement. The bottom line is America is white and Christian nation. Other than white and Christian means the second class citizen. That is why Asians became target for COVID-19 related hate-crimes. 

Just right before US military pullout of Afghanistan, US did drone strike on what they claimed, the terrorist who instructed the attack on the site where 13 US soldiers were killed. But now it was suspected to be civilian residence who had no connection with the terror and caused child victims according to this news report. 

America is giving bad things to the world although it still leads the world in economy and politics. 

But it is no longer the moral leader. To me, America is no longer a friend, though not an enemy. I became more isolationist or feel closer to other nations. 

The whole world is changing. The power balance is changing as well as the values. 

Good Bye, America and the world I knew before 911! I am seeing the new world and new values. 

25 August 2021

The fall of Kabul, more interested in history of Vietnam War than ever

The capital of Afghanistan, Kabul was suddenly occupied by Taliburn regime, managed by Islamic foundamentalists in the middle of August 2021 when the US forces were withdrawing from the country. 

A lot of Afghans are fleeing their homeland including the former President of the state, Ghani. The scenes of fleeing reminds me of what happened in Saigon, Vietnam, April 1975. 

A lot of Vietnamese who corporated with the South Vietnam and the US rushed into the US embassy. Helicoptors took off to carry then Ho Chi Minh's enemies to the sea outside Vietnam. 

vietnamgirl.jpgvietnamembassy.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally helicoptors to carry refugees were dumped into the sea after landing on military ships due to lack of space to store them inside the ships. 

v.jpg

It seems like America failed again or America's mission in Afghanistan is over just like America's involvement in Vietnam. 

I recently watched the documentary programs that featured the Vietnam war. 

In early 1960's, wife of the South Vietnam dictator's brother said a terrible thing to those whom they oppressed. They were Catholics and they oppressed Buddhist monks. Then some of the monks burned their bodies in public in protest of the dictatorship. 

"What have Buddhist monks done? The only thing they have done is barbeque one of their monks whom they intoxicated and abused confidence. Even that barbequing is for self-sufficient mean, using imported gasoline." 

Then people in the South Vietnam stood up to fight for unification of Vietnam. 

North Vietnam force were attacking South Vietnam jointly with Viet Cong warriers within the South. 

To block weapon supply transport route called "Ho Chi Minh route" between Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam, US military utilized Hmong tribe who felt Communism was threat to them. Their village lifestyle was depicted in the film "Apocalypse Now."

After the fall of Saigon, Hmong people became refugees from Vietnam and settled down in Minesota State. Their community was featured in the film "Grand Torino." 

What a history! Vietnam and Afghanistan. What are the commonality between the two! 

20:50 Posted in Film, Politics, USA issues | Permalink | Comments (0) | Tags: history, vietnam

04 July 2021

Film: Black "Annie" Diversity Casting?

A famous classic musical film was remade using a protagonist with a Black skin. Traditionally the protagonist was played by a white girl. 

Is this part of Hollywood's "Diversity Casting" campaign? 

Sounds good. Good musical play. Actors sing very well. I was not bothered by the Black Annie. What I was still bothered was a rich man who adopts Annie was a Black man. 

Maybe a white man adopts a Black girl is not politically correct? 

But how many of white audience enjoy this film? Wasn't it for Black audience?

In the last scene of the film, a Black man kisses a white woman. Is this widely acceptable in U.S.? 

Wasn't this too much of liberal twist?  

I am not being racist but I am realist and view the world from realist perspective. 

Look who was the President of the United States last year. 

I just don't think this casting really fits the current social trend of that country.