Another U.S. Marine arrested in Okinawa

TOKYO A U.S. Marine was arrested Friday on trespassing charges in Japan's southwestern island of Okinawa, where public outrage is growing against the American military following a rape that was allegedly committed by servicemen.

Anibal Antonio Barraza-Ortiz, 27, a Marine corporal assigned to Camp Hansen base, is suspected of having entered the veranda of an apartment in Naha city and was arrested in a drunken state early Friday on a nearby rooftop, police said. No hometown was given.

"We will fully cooperate with authorities in their investigation," U.S. Forces Japan spokesman Lt. Col. David Honchul said.

• Japan protests alleged assault by U.S. airman
• U.S. Navy reviews easing of rules on Japan bases
• U.S. commander in Japan apologizes for rape case

Okinawa houses more than half the U.S. troops in Japan under a bilateral security alliance. After the October rape, an 11 p.m.-to-5 a.m. curfew was set for all military personnel in Japan, and they are not allowed to buy or consume alcohol off-base.

Anger in Okinawa is also growing against a new kind of aircraft assigned there, the Osprey. The military says it is safe, but people are worried the U.S. hybrid aircraft with tilting rotors may be prone to crashes.

[4july]

Okinawa is occupied for a reason. They signed an agreement allowing it because if they didn't the rest of Japan would have suffered a similar fate. That was in 1945, and we could have made it worse on them. Troops on Oki is legal, fare, and just. This Marine didn't do anything wrong and he is being used as a scapegoat. Let this motivator go and slap those police around some.

[gibsonsdad]

We should certainly not withdraw our troops from foreign countries, particularly where we have interests, such as in Asia. We should, however, modify the SOFA to allow host country police and judiciary to handle crimes against host country citizens. While the US government has agreed to allow this, the agreement has never been implemented in any specific case.

U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement (official name: Agreement under Article VI of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the United States of America, Regarding Facilities and Areas and the Status of United States Armed Forces in Japan) is an agreement between Japan and the U.S. approved and enacted in 1960 as stipulated in article VI of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, signed January 19, 1960 in Washington. It is a status of forces agreement that concerns the treatment of United States Armed Forces stationed in Japan.
The SOFA has become a major political issue following instances of violent crimes allegedly committed by servicemembers.[1] The U.S. has argued that the extraterritoriality granted its military members under the SOFA is necessary to afford them the same rights that exist under the U.S. criminal justice system. Because the SOFA exempts most U.S. military members from Japanese visa and passport laws, past incidents occurred in which U.S. military members were transferred back to the U.S. before facing charges in Japanese courts. Since the 1995 Okinawan rape incident, the U.S. has agreed to favorably consider handing over suspects in serious cases such as rape and murder before they have been charged.[2] But Japanese authorities often cite that they still do not have regular access to question or interrogate U.S. servicemembers, making it difficult for Japanese prosecutors to prepare cases for indictment.

[JoeMythbuster]

Gibsonsdad, I'm afraid you have drunk the kool-aid of the Okinawan protestors who either don't know the truth or convienently ignore it to keep up their protests. There are plenty of Americans currently sitting in Japanese jails for crimes they committed. The SOFA didn't keep that from happening. Just a few weeks ago, a Marine was found guilty of a sex assault he committed this past summer. The two Navy guys accused of the October gang rape are sitting in a Japanese jail awaiting trial. Those being investigated and not sitting in a Japanese jail are constantly provided to the Japanese authorities. There is nothing wrong with the SOFA. Only people's perspectives. Then again, we wouldn't need to discuss it if people used better judgement and common sense.

[catmomtx]

How about we hold these people accountable for what they have done and remind the rest of the that they are representing our country. These are grown men in the military, they know what is expected of them. They should be punished to the fullest extent possible.

[JoeMythbuster]

And they are. Just ask the Marine just sentenced a few weeks ago for the sex assault he committed this summer. Or the Marine Lt who's about $12,000 poorer for the trespassing charges he was found guilty of. The two Navy guys accused in the October gang rape are going to find out too.

[logibear64]

Amazing how adept the Marines are at keeping their honor clean.

[quincytodd]

Are those bozoes really doing that, Logibear64? Do you remember that video of those Marines urinating on those Afghan corpses last year in Afghanistan? I do and I found that truly revolting since we have absolutely no right to be in that country in the first place. To this day, it still makes my blood boil!

[mjlewis6]

There are two nations where we no longer have a military presence. China and Viet Nam. Seems when there is a popular revolution and civil war, we are no longer welcome as a 'colonial power.'

Would be nice to let the Chinese and Koreans and Japanese work out their influence in the region and world markets without US bases and personnel.
Empire and globalist expansionism are expensive to maintain. Let them find the happy medium without us footing the security bill. Our best allies in the far east? Would you believe Viet Nam? They kicked China's military in a two year ground war before Ronnie Reagan came into office.

[AttyFAM]

Are you condoning rape????

[joncanuk777]

True enough. The '50s and 60's are long gone, the world has changed.

Bring your boys home. The Japanese are quite capable of looking after themselves.

[Weallhaveone]

Yet another troop making them all look bad. Get the rejects out of the military.

[quincytodd]

It appears to be high time that we brought our troops home from Japan and Germany. If the Japanese are so adamant about having foreign troops on their soil, then let the Chinese send in theirs!