Why Is Cheney Thanking Japan?

The Nation: Apparently Withdrawal Is OK As Long As It's Not U.S. Troops

(The Nation)  This column was written by John Nichols.

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Vice President Dick Cheney, keeping as far from federal prosecutors as possible these days, arrived in Japan on Wednesday to officially thank that country for supporting the Bush-Cheney administration's invasion and occupation of Iraq.

What made the trip even more comic than Cheney usual campaigning on behalf of the war that he, more than any other member of the administration, wanted, plotted and defended with a disregard not just for the laws of the land but for reality, was the fact that he was thanking an ally that is not exactly in the alliance.

Japan was a part of the original "coalition of the willing" — more precisely referred to as the "coalition of the coerced" — that signed on for the quagmire run.

But Japan pulled its troops out of Iraq last year.

The Japanese still provide a minimal number of airlifts in support of U.S. operations in the Middle East, but even that mission is set to end in July.

So Cheney was thanking a country that is essentially, and quite happily, out of the coalition.

If the Japan Appreciation Day mission was bizarre, the vice president's speech in a hangar bay at the Yokosuka Naval Base near Tokyo was downright delusional. "The American people will not support a policy of retreat," Cheney chirped. "We want to complete the mission, we want to get it done right, and then we want to come home, with honor."

Exactly who are these "American people" the vice president is communing with?

Not the overwhelming majority of Americans who tell pollsters they want the U.S. to exit Iraq.

Not the clear majority of Americans who voted last November for a Democratic Congress charged with the task of bringing the troops home.

And not the American president who cheerfully accepted the decision of British Prime Minister Tony Blair to substantially reduce that country's boots on the ground in Iraq — as well as the decision of the Danes to withdraw from the endeavor.

When the Danish prime minister called this week to inform Bush that the country's 46O troops would be leaving Iraq, the president had no objection to the decision to cut and run. According to Denmark's Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Bush expressed "both understanding and satisfaction that the situation in Iraq makes it possible for Denmark and Britain to reduce their numbers of troops."

If this war gets much more "satisfying," the U.S. will be fighting it alone.

But don't expect to hear Bush or Cheney complaining about the inability of the Brits, the Danes, the Japanese or the Tongans to understand the importance of Iraq to the "war on terror." That silly spin is reserved for domestic consumption. It's a political hammer used to attack Democrats who fail to rubberstamp the administration's misguided strategies — not a serious concern on the part of the administration.

For all the "stay-the-course" rhetoric from Bush and Cheney, this administration has been more than willing to accept the retreats of allies from Iraq. Why? Because the president and vice president don't want Americans to pay attention to the fact that the "coalition of the willing" has crumbled.

In addition to Japan — which, like most countries, had a largely symbolic presence in the Middle East — the following countries have joined the coalition of the unwilling to remain in Iraq: the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Portugal, Nicaragua, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Slovakia, Thailand, Tonga and the Ukraine.

Along with Denmark's exiting troops, Lithuania's contingent will likely leave this summer. Armenia's 46 troops are expected to be out at year end, as are Poland's 9OO. And, while Moldova is technically still in the coalition, its 11 bomb-defusing experts quietly exited Iraq last December and have yet to be replaced.

Aside from Great Britain, which is dramatically downsizing its presence, only Australia — where Prime Minister John Howard appears to be channeling Cheney — and South Korea now have more than 1,000 troops stationed in Iraq. And South Korea, which will extract 1,100 of its troops this spring, may not be around for much longer; the country's parliament has called for total withdrawal by December 31.

According to the www.globalsecurity.org website, which tracks military involvement in Iraq, Kazakhstan, with 29 troops, remains committed to the mission, as does Macedonia, with 33 troops; Estonia, with 34 troops; Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 37 troops and another ten countries, with between 1OO and 865 troops each.

Here's a sobering fact to ponder: Add together all the troops from all the foreign countries that are still in Iraq as committed members of the "coalition of the willing" and you will get a figure that is substantially lower than the 21,5OO U.S. troops that are now surging into the country on President Bush's orders.

But, despite the fact that the real surge is the one taking U.S. allies out of Iraq, Cheney will keep preaching about America's refusal to accept retreat — even as he continues to thank countries, like Japan, that have had the wisdom to abandon a sorely misguided mission.

[mbcsmith]

Another LIB rag spouting LIB truths

[dallison7]

Bush/Cheney aren't finished looting the US Treasury.
As soon as that MISSION is ACCOMPLISHED they will let our troops come home.

[tejasdemo]

Excellent article. Just the facts. None of this Republican BS.

[dallison7]

THERE WILL BE A HUGE PEACE RALLY IN WASHINGTON ON MARCH 7. 41 STATES HAVE ORGANIZATIONS CHARTERING BUSES ETC. IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT THE CAUSE GO TO www.impeachbush.org

[perception5]

"Excellent article. Just the facts. None of this Republican BS.

Posted by tejasdemo at 04:14 PM : Feb 22, 2007"

........now here is one "contaminated" liberal Dem............The Nation's put out news like the Nazis's put out propaganda in the 1930's...........and you tejasemo have taken these lies and hate .....hook line and sinker.......Congrats!

[duckswill]

It seems delousional for Bush and Cheeney to make statetments that are contradicted by obvious facts. However they to know that there are millions of, Perception5s and mbcsmiths in America, who will ignore facts and support them, just as sadam and Hitler was justified by myopic xenophopes.

[johnshaft4]

Cheney is obviously shopping for a country that will give him exile once his other crimes come to light...Whatever happened to GWB's promise that he would fire anyone involved in the Plame leak? (GWB quote 6/10/04.)

[duna6430]

This is a strange article...even though you point out that Japan isn't in Iraq proper - the relationship between the two countries, and Japan's very strong stance with us isn't reflected very well at all.

Japan might not have a presence in the sand right now, but it's support of our forward deployed military (all branches) just might be more than any other of our allies (YES...they're allies).

v/r, duna

[hitemup29]

The reason PRESIDENT Bush (don't be disrespectful, he is the president) is not criticizing other countries is because unlike you flip-flopping democrats, you don't support something then just say , "oh it isnt popular anymore, so let's jump ship." They are our allies and they felt like they have done their part, and the President supports them. And to an earlier response, you want to talk about selling out the country for financial gain ask yourself this question. Who sold OUR missle designs to the Chinese? It was notthe first President Bush or the second, but he was president somewhere between the two. Democrats, I literally get sick to my stomach when I think about stances on issues, are yall really that far in the dark? Look towards the good Lord, He will lead you to the light!

[taddles-2009]

"Whatever happened to GWB's promise that he would fire anyone involved in the Plame leak? (GWB quote 6/10/04.)
Posted by JohnShaft4 at 10:08 PM : Feb 22, 2007"

He lied, like he lies about everything. Bush is a scumbag, lying, murderer who should be impeached then tried for treason and put away. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Rice, the whole lot of them need to be impeached and tried for treason.

You useless Republiscum tried to impeach Clinton for a BJ, but this useless *** gets away with killing 3000+ servicemen and women and you scum look the other way. He lets Bin Laden go so he doesn't **** off his buddies in Saudi Arabia and jeopardize his oil money and you applaud him for killing off a couple thousand Iraqi's instead. Pathetic, you scum are just F-ing pathetic.

[dallison7]

CHENEY IN NUMBERS


Cheney's 2000 income from Halliburton: $36,086,635

Increase in government contracts while Cheney led Halliburton: 91%

Minimum size of "accounting irregularity" that occurred while Cheney was CEO: $100,000,000 (One hundred MILLION dollars)

Number of the seven official US "State Sponsors of Terror" that Halliburton contracted with: 2 out of 7

Pages of Energy Plan documents Cheney refused to give congressional investigators: 13,500

Amount energy companies gave the Bush/Cheney presidential campaign: $1,800,000

[tuppman]

George W Bush And *** Cheney should both get 20 year prison sentences for their crimes against humanity. You say you don't agree? Then how about prison and torture because they are so stupid

[ammianus]

The Sorrows of Young Dumus, Art. XI
The resources of the entire Oikoumene were open to plunder, and it was the first care of Vulturinus to host a convocation of the energy extraction Oligarchs in order to agree upon the division of spoils. A signally important measure of the efficiency of an energy extraction enterprise and an essential prop to its reputation was the ratio of known reserves to annual production. The energy supply oligarchs presided over an enterprise based upon an ever depleting resource. They could never resist the temptation to profess a reserves-to-production ratio far in excess of reality. When the actual ratios were disclosed, the entire energy extraction industry was discovered to rest upon a most precarious foundation. Readily accessible supplies were rapidly disappearing; and strenuous efforts must be made by the Hegemon to acquire control over new sources. To avoid premature collapse of the energy enterprises, all information concerning the deliberations of the convocation was withheld from the populace and a long-cherished scheme of the oligarchy was revived. Realization of their dream of an imperial demesne extending from the banks of the Indus to the confines of Syria would have excited the envy of the son of Philip. But above all, when combined with the resources of the House of Saaud, such a conquest would furnish the Oligarchs with most of the fossil fuel supplies of the globe.

[ammianus]

The Sorrows of Young Dumus, Art. X
The indolence and incapacity of Stultus Dumus the Younger being clearly unequal to the burdens of the supreme office, a lieutenant was sought who could stiffen his resolve, supply his want of energy and ensure that the designs of the Oligarchs were unrelentingly advanced. Appointed to preside over the selection of this lieutenant, Imbustus Vulturinus was a longtime servitor whose loyalty to the House of Dumus was cemented by criminal guilt in a numerous sequence of misdeeds (Journandes, op. cit., p. 103). Well ensconced in the Oligarchy, Vulturinus was nimble in the hydrocarbon fuel extraction industry; had profited immensely from his dealings with the artificers of hyper lethal weapons and had served the officials of the Hegemon whenever a deft lie or low stratagem was required. A secretive nature presented the appearance of quiet probity; and the affectation of piety supported an imaginary rectitude. But every sentiment of virtue and humanity was extinct in the mind of Vulturinus. Upon inspecting a series of candidates, he concluded rightly that none were his equal in the deadly arts of rapacious cruelty. Whereupon, Imbustus Anguis Vulturinus elevated himself to chief lieutenant, tutor, guardian and keeper of Dumus the Younger.

[knyghtwolf]

Cheney is being critical of Pelosi & accusing her of playing right into the "terrorists" hands. What about all the time the White House spokesperson announces what the bush administration has heard, and is going to do to the "terrorists" when they get apprehended. The Whitehouse constantly leaks information out to the public for the express purpose of generating fear & mistrust, and in return for their "help", they take away even more freedoms. Prick Cheney is living proof that Neanderthals still exist, and don't work for Geico. They are living proof of who and what they worship under the guise of Christianity. Beware of false prophets with money, brains not required, and for the record, I used to live in Texas & I have ALWAYS disliked bush and never changed my position politically.

[oleander8]

I would like to know the reception President Cheney...er, Vice President Cheney - is getting from the populace in the countries he is visiting.

Or is President Cheney...er, Vice President Cheney slipping in and out of the countries visible to only supporters and dignitaries?

How about getting some up-close-and-personal reporters to cover President Cheney's...er, Vice President reception?