A Rose By Any Other Name

Blackwater stresses that their recent name change is part of a reorganization of the umbrella company's priorities--a shift from direct armed engagement to training. The new conglomerate, Xe (zee) may have a new name, but must carry with it the burden of atrocity, stigma of being an accomplice to a misguided invasion and draconian methodology that (hopefully) lives in the history books.

South of the Border

So, the solution to an increasingly unstable neighbor is to to erect a wall between us and them and let them sort it out? While America pours money, men and material into Iraq and Iran thousands are killed in un-civil violence right next door. Instead of working with Mexican authorities to stem the trafficking of drugs into America and to cut off the producers of the problem, solutions like the wall are instituted and send out a strong message of unwillingness to cooperate while only emboldening the drug dealers. Is there not a way to make this crisis a priority on par with our current commitments overseas, or will we see this ongoing tragedy fall along the lines of 'unimportant' policy?

Troops Gone Wild

How do people acquire perceptions and judgments about those of other cultures? Unfortunately many judge based on stereotypes, political propaganda or based on what they see through subtler but equally distorted channels like movies and TV shows. However, more striking and true toward forming ideas and learning about people of other cultures is through living and existing with them. It is always eye-opening and profound for anyone who experiences it. What happens though when the picture that is painted by a few of one group is not the one that the majority wants others to see?

The record of American troops committing rape, violence and destruction of property on the Japanese island of Okinawa is a blight on the perception that Americans should be giving abroad--especially with one of its closest allies. American troops have been stationed at Okinawa since the end of Second World War, protecting American interests in the Pacific while at the same time upholding the American-Japanese alliance. While possible hostilities with China represents a clear reason for military presence for some, the soldiers have had more of a symbolic and ambassadorial role since the end of the Cold War. It is unavoidable that those living in Okinawa and in Japan as a whole will look to these troops as representative of American values. But what what do they see?

In the most serious of recent cases, a Marine has been detained and questioned over the alleged rape of a 14-year-old Okinawan school girl. While he denies the charges of raping her, he admits that he tried to forcibly kiss her after he gave her a ride home.

Just today, a marine Corporal was arrested for breaking into the home of Okinawan woman and taking a drunk snooze. The arrest came after the woman discovered him passed out in her home this morning. The official charge is "trespassing".

It would be wrong to judge all American troops, let alone all the American troops in Okinawa as being drunken, sex-crazed party animals. That would be unfair. However, the repeated incidence of horrific crimes and complete irresponsibility by some soldiers can lead one to question the environment in which these soldiers operate that allows for these acts to continue. How can military policy be changed to stop troops from ravaging the locales where they are stationed? What perceptions do these soldiers and their commanders have of their local communities that makes them feel these actions are A) OK to commit and B) not serious enough to enact reforms to prevent? Finally, is this the image that America wants to give to the rest of the world? If the above impression is what one of America's greatest allies is getting from our overseas 'ambassadors', what is everyone else getting?

Gyoza-San

Over the past week Japan has been rocked by a wave of nearly 500 illnesses directly caused by tainted 'gyoza' from China. For those not familiar, gyoza is a Chinese style of cooking dumplings that is a wildly popular staple in Japan--it also happens to be one of my favorite foods here, hence why the children I teach call me "Gyoza-san".

I am personally upset that I won't be able to stuff myself on my favorite bite-sized salty snack. I am equally disconcerted at both the magnitude of the tainted gyoza's impact (nearly 500 people in 38 of Japan's 50 prefectures) and the preliminary findings as to its possible cause (from the Japan Times):

The head of the Chinese delegation in Japan for talks over recent food poisonings said Wednesday he believes the Chinese-made frozen "gyoza" dumplings were deliberately tainted with pesticide after being shipped from the factory and not during the production process.

Speaking at a joint news conference with the Japanese side in Tokyo, Li Chunfeng stressed that Tianyang Food's factory in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province — where the tainted dumplings were made — has strict and thorough quality control measures that made it almost impossible to mix the toxic substance there.

"I believe that the incident did not stem from structural problems but rather is a specific case," Li, vice director of China's Import and Export Food Safety Bureau at the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, said after morning talks with the Japanese officials."

This has sparked wide-spread mistrust of not only gyoza but of foods imported from China on a whole. Aside from the ramifications for the Japanese company responsible for importing and distributing the gyoza, this new gaff in the world of Chinese exports further shatters the credibility of its products and producers in the minds of consumers around the world (now, in Japan despite assurance of this being a 'specific case' apart from 'structural problems').

Looks like, I'll have to wait a while before I dig in again.

Shifting Winds

With Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda at the helm the Japanese ship of state is picking up momentum from a new tailwind. With the forcing of a bill continuing the refueling mission to Afghanistan in the Diet and military plans to deploy a missile defense shield in Tokyo and off of Japanese destroyers, increased military posturing has become the order of the day. For a country with a pacifist constitution it is curious that Japan's foreign policy should now be defined in terms of external security measures (however symbolic) backed by a flurry of defensive missile sites.

Japan is the second largest economy in the world and subsequently the second largest donor of humanitarian and developmental aid in the world. Of the 8.9 billion (USD) dispersed worldwide, nearly half goes to nations throughout Asia in Japan's 'back yard'. Japan has plenty of ways to influence world affairs and develop positive relations with neighboring nations other than through military means that might put the pacifist Constitution in jeopardy.

In other news, it turns out that a really good way to end world hunger is through indulging your self interest. The system works especially well if you happen to be studying for a GRE or just desiring a way to impress at parties (the inherent drive for any academic pursuit).