Friday, August 13, 2004

A Divided Anniversary in Japan

By Reza Fiyouzat

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  1. Thanks for the sweet update, Reza. Formerly of Nippon, Ox

    Posted by Nipponox from  on  08/13  at  06:10 PM

  2. Chilling.  How long before the US reaps what it has sown in nuclear warfare?  There’s an article on ZNet on August 12, “American Hiroshima,” which paints a realistic scenario of a major US city being the victim of a terrorist nuclear strike any time.  What short-sightedness on the part of the US government and military establishment to engage in these wanton and surreptition forms of nuclear warfare!  It is a crying shame that the world’s sole remaining superpower has not set the example of eliminating nuclear weapons by doing so itself, but has rather abrogated the scant number of treaties there were respecting this issue, such as the ABM Treaty.  Never mind pursuing seriously negotiated elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide and adherence to non-proliferation treaties.

    Posted by Tracy McLellan from  on  08/13  at  08:57 PM

  3. Thanks to Reza for another hard hitting, mind blowing account of the horrors of US led actions in the world. The data that he has summarized for us regarding DU is most impressive and needless to say, very upsetting.

    Suffer the little children…

    Leuron Moret has also documented that Japan is a ticking time bomb when it comest to nuclear power plants per her article in the Japan Times. She wrote about, how of all the places in the world to build nuclear reactors, Japan would be about the last place you could think of given it’s tectonic volatility! A rupture of the Hamaoka plant near Tokyo could result in 40 million people being exposed to high levels of radiation (oh, I am just a worry wort, I know). The engineers who run the plant assure the public that it is built on solid rock. When Moret, a geo-scientist, picked up the “rock” near the plant it crumbled in her hand in front of an astonished audience of local reporters.

    I remember seeing TV footage of an earthquake that happened in Taiwan a few years ago: they showed a huge rift in the land which was formed along a very long line. If this were to happen underneath, or even near a nuke plant, well… maybe that’s why they call the people who design these nukle-heads…

    ps. There is an outstanding article at Counterpunch today by Stan Goff which provides an overview of the global environmental crisis and the energy crisis. He brings together a vast amount of data and presents it in a very coherent (and politically correct) way.

    Posted by Rhino Rick from Tokyo, Japan  on  08/13  at  11:53 PM

  4. erratum:

    Of course Reza’s article dealt mainly with Japanese atrocities, not only the US. Fantastic reporting and analysis Rez-man.

    It is interesting that the Chinese soccer fans are so thoroughly pissed off with Japan, as they should be. But I suspect Chinese authorities also bear some of the blame. According to an interesting article that appeared in the American Conservative (I know, bear with me), the author’s thesis was that despite political hostilities, Japan and China have actually been getting along fine when it comes to economic interests, technology sharing etc. Japan and China need not love each other in order to have pragmatic economic relations. According to the author, the outrage over WWII that is left festering serves as a smoke screen to keep the USA from understanding that they are actually building a viable Asian trading bloc and that at some point they can tell Uncle Scam to sod off back to his patch on the other side of the puddle (not a bad idea, but I suspect the author thought this not a good idea).

    Of course, the average Chinese do not benefit from capitalism as much as elites in government and industry do, so the folks who have yet to receive proper apologies from Japan are right to be extremely angry.

    The book Gold Warriors by the Seagraves published recently discusses how Korea and the rest of Asia was plundered of valuable treasures that still sit in the vaults of rich Japanese (not yet returned to their rightful owners, can you imagine that?!). Korea, propotionally, took a much worse beating than China, with 6-8 milliion people being used as slaves and then dying or being killed by the Japanese during their little imperial adventure. This was an effective method for capitalist accumulation (but don’t try this at home).

    I showed a video about Japanese war atrocities to my university students and they were not shocked, they know that Japan did nasty things in the past. When young people are presented with a balanced picture of history, they are ready to shed the nationalist bullshit (well, these were relatively sophisticated students, I must admit). Unfortunately, the media, which is the vomit produced by the state, does not present history anywhere close to objectively.

    Posted by Rhino Rick from Tokyo, Japan  on  08/14  at  01:47 AM

  5. Thank you Rino for all the information. Respect to Ox. Tracy, I think the use of DU is, or can be, definitely should be, a good organizing point (regardless of which donkey’s in that white lodging in Washington DC). I just got this from Leuren Moret: 40% of soldiers coming back from THIS round of Iraq war now have malignancies! Gulf War syndrome will not go away, unless the people, soldiers’ families and the soldiers coming back start raising some serious hell to stop use of DU. Anyway, below is a little info about a Leuren Moret interview:

    “On August 13, American Free Press journalist
    Christopher Bollyn and DU expert Leuren Moret were interviewed on “Flashpoints” KPFA 94.1 FM in Berkeley,Calif. on the breaking story that 40% of the men in a 2003 Iraq war unit now have malignancies. The interview is archived and can be downloaded or listened to over the internet at the KPFA “Flashpoints” archived programs for August 13, 2004.”

    Posted by reza from  on  08/14  at  08:01 AM

  6. Resa,
    While I don’t want to detract from the issue of DU and its effects, I do want to add a comment since you mention so called “Gulf War Syndrome”.

    My belief, after having read much about it, is that the illness reported as “Gulf War Syndrome” and attributed to chemicals and such used in war, are more likely actually illnesses caused by the STRESS of war.

    Several researchers studying the causes of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and chemical sensitivity syndrome (all of which I personally have experience with) link the stress of war with bringing out these illnesses in soldiers predisposed, who may never had incidents in their normal everyday life that would trigger the illnesses.

    Dr. Clauw (formerly of Georgetown University - where I participated in a study) says:

    “Theories about causes ranging from chemicals and bacteria to radiation and viruses have made the headlines after each war. But researchers are finding more evidence that the true culprit may be the only common elements of every soldier’s, sailor’s, airman’s and Marine’s wartime experience: life-threatening and violent situations, extraordinary living conditions, and strange surroundings.

    In other words: stress. Stress so intense it can knock a person’s brain and body chemistry off kilter, causing chronic disease if symptoms go untreated.”

    And I say this NOT to detract from the seriousness of these illnesses. I just think many times people are too quick to blame chemicals and physical or biological agents, when in fact, the root cause of the problem is the physical and psychological stress of war itself.

    For more information: Daniel Clauw at U. of Michigan

    Lucy

    Posted by Lucy from Alexandria  on  08/14  at  09:24 AM

  7. I ask those interested in the fascinating distinction between the effects of DU vs. Stress how interested they are in affecting the Umbrella of War opening up repeatedly.  I ask people to ask themselves what they are doing to, say, prevent us from going into Iran next. ‘Cause --with no disrespect to the scientific findings presented here-- we could very well find ourselves discussing how the effects on our troops (after entering Persia) are the result of radiation, stress over having to use Farsi, etc. as we have forever in one form or another. This so-called civilization is conducting Radioactive War...every bit as deadly as what was done to Japan...and we are all on Talk Radioactive.  Just ask yourselves whether you are involved with stopping this force...this momentum...or whether or not you’re resigned, for the most part, to thinking you can’t or shouldn’t try to do something outside of electoral politics.  Part of the problem is that we’re so intelligent and well-informed that we can contribute to the atrocities...blaming THEM...endlessly, discussing the niceties of atrocities.  The Powers have maneuvered us into our little corners very well.  We must all learn a new hands-on trade to stop them, Ox P.S. They’re not going to provide the instruction.

    Posted by Atrocitytoxic from  on  08/14  at  09:52 AM

  8. Atrocitytoxic,
    I did not mean to make it DU vs. Stress at all.

    My point is simple.

    War makes us all sick. Basic as that.

    Regardless of the underlying reason, it is wrong and there is no place for it in a so-called civilized society. That is my point.

    And yes, while, I respect your manic sense of urgency to “do something” I also might suggest that you are doing, in your frequent posts, exactly what you opine against: “endlessly, discussing”. Emphasis on the *endlessly*.

    Oxinator, maybe you could step away from the keyboard for a day or two and perhaps some new ideas will surface from interactions with your neighbors or a few moments in the sunshine might give you an epiphany…

    Posted by Lucy from  on  08/14  at  10:54 AM

  9. Lucy,
    With all due respect for scientific disagreement, your source will probably not be able to explain the deformed children being born by resorting to ‘stress’. Also, the number reported by Moret, (a scientist with conscience, a rare species) of 40% of returning soldiers from THIS Iraq war having malignancies, that too would be a stretch to explain by stress.
    Oxman, to your question, a rhetorical one as it may be, YES! They are gassing us, and what do we DO?

    Posted by reza from  on  08/14  at  11:07 AM

  10. Reza,

    I have no argument with that at all. I was merely bringing up an ADDITIONAL cause of illnesses. The research I cite has nothing to do with malignancies or deformaties.

    Distinct medical issues entirely.

    I apologize if I have somehow given the impression otherwise.


    Lucy

    Posted by Lucy from  on  08/14  at  11:36 AM

  11. To Reza and Lucy: Reza...we undermine this “civilization” every chance we get. More specifically, again, I urge people to either take up the lead I have offered with the Leno show...as a small step...or to take the day in the sunshine to have the kind of epiphany that Lucy sarcastically recommends for me.  For Lucy, on a positive note...it doesn’t hurt for you to clarify your position about war; I would like to see your response to Reza, nevertheless.  However, I do not spend all day at the keyboard; I do type quickly when I am there.  If you look at what I’ve written again...you’ll see that I am not “discussing” anything...endlessly or otherwise.  I AM pointing out that no one is taking me up on a strong suggestion I’ve made for action...as they simultaneously ask me for specifics regarding action...as if they’ve been “out to lunch” during all of the “endless” sessions that, apparently, disturb you.  Also, people are not --to use your word-- getting the point that this is NOT a civilized society...and CANNOT be the way it’s presently constituted.  A day or two away from the keyboard will be less likely to affect that than a word or two here or there on Press Action and elsewhere.  The thing is...perhaps repetition of urging people to action...people who are locked into ONLY writing...and reading...will create a ripple.  Undermine civilization, I say, as per Ward Churchill and Derrick Jensen...two people greatly respected until they get onto the --to use your word-- “manic” soapbox. It is no soapbox to me...and I submit that you would make greater advances in the name of serious solidarity if you would refrain from attacking someone who is well-intentioned...and try...try to see the positive side of what I’m spending heartbeats on.  It would hurt if you got a little “manic” yourself about the politically correct apathy and intellectual respectability of the Press Action crowd.  Merci, Ox

    Posted by Merciful Ox from  on  08/14  at  11:41 AM

  12. In addition to my comments in #11 directed to Lucy and Reza, it’s important to point out that the time has come for readers to start actually lining up...to make clear where they stand with regard to the fundamental issues raised...among “progressives” at Press Action. Not just to join in when they have an opinion about being pro or con a given issue...in a given little corner.  Rather, to pick out the fundamentally crucial issues that come up...and enable us to take a head count among ourselves.  To wit, for Lucy to characterize my concern with urgency as “manic” is a good case in point.  I submit that if readers do not see that as reflecting an obliviousness to very real dangers...that are not “imminent,” but, rather, taking over...they are much more in her boat than in mine, their boat floating on some imaginary sea.  No one in their right mind who is aware of what is in their groundwater, what is emanating from their children’s toys in the form of fumes, etc. can allow themselves to be so cavalier about characterizing an activist’s crazed obsession, if you will, with doing...something.  I may have missed something...but I don’t believe I received a word from Lucy regarding proposals I’ve put out for public consideration...which are much more specific than my gen’l foul-mouthing of “civilization.” And, again, the silence of the Press Action crowd is deafening.  The fate of all is in your hands (in one sense).  Act civilly, but act.  Chilly but civilly, Ox

    Posted by Unchilled Ox from  on  08/14  at  12:14 PM

  13. All due respect Richard.  I do enjoy your comments and agree with them way more often than not.  But here you are lamenting the silence of the Press Action crowd as deafening, while in a previous post in this same thread you have bemoaned the dialectics practiced here.  Similarly, in your piece that got almost one hundred comments, not once did you discourage comment in lieu of action, but rather encouraged it. 

    Just because folks are making themselves heard here, doesn’t mean they aren’t active in other ways as you suggest.  Having said that, I second vehemently that you constantly remind us of the urgency of these issues and the need to do something about them more than just blabbing here.  But I don’t think that’s necessarily an either/or - it could as well be a both/and.

    I should think there’s something to Lucy’s assertion that stress is a significant factor in Gulf War Syndrome and the like; just as Ox’s observation that that doesn’t account for birth abnormalities in children of war veterans.  In my recent piece here lauding marijuana’s beneficial applications, I point out that one of its best is precisely to relieve stress.  I’ll take a page from Richard here and request and encourage comments of it.

    Posted by Tracy McLellan from  on  08/14  at  12:34 PM

  14. First of all, I believe it was Reza’s comment about birth abnormalities you’re referring to, not mine.  Respecting my comments, you will see that you are wrong if you review those many comments attached to the Pilger/Zinn piece...and others elsewhere too...that --in fact-- I constantly have urged people to dispense with blah blah here and elsewhere...UNLESS IT’S a) focused on encouraging action, b) focusing on something that’s not redundant and/or c) devoted to a back and forth spotlighting significant differences...that must be “resolved”...in order to move toward substantial solidarity. That’s a very important aspect of what I’ve submitted in these quarters that you’ve, apparently, missed, Tracy; it’s in the article AND the comments. What did I “bemoan” that you’re categorizing under the heading of “dialectics” above?  I’m going to take a wild guess and say that I tried to deter someone from either being rude, redundant or UNrevolutionary.  Give me the specific, if you will, and it’ll be my pleasure to explain why I “bemoaned” the thang...if that’s what I did.  I can tell you now, however, that although I’m not big on being “consistent” in the traditional sense...there’s no way I would be inconsistent on this count. Let me underscore for you and the others that people are not delineating the ways in which they are being active...specifying what they are doing that has a shot at making a difference.  I’ve been asking for that...and not seeing it posted...and, thus, continuing to ask for it. Finally, this notion of yours --which was a central focus of my article-- that there IS time to do “both,” that IT’S not an either/or situation for most...IS NOT TRUE.  Not by a long shot.  Some people can write and read, etc. AND be involved in significant hands-on activism, but...the general rule from my constant observation is that --as per the article-- “activists” --once they finish dealing with survival issues on a personal basis-- barely have the time to keep informed; their activism, in such cases, is limited to the usual relatively ineffective paradigms.  And...if people DO have the time you say --which I am 100% convinced that they do not-- why am I not receiving responses regarding the Tonight Show proposal?  That’s just one example.  You can tell, Tracy, that people who log in here, generally speaking, are keeping up with the latest developments...by walking a very thin line.  From the content.  But...don’t take my word for it.  Simply walk outside or pick up the phone and try to recruit people for a given exciting project geared toward change...and see what kind of time they have.  Make up something if you must...something that no activist in their right mind would turn down...and see how much time they have for your project...real or imagined.  What you will find...is the truth behind one of the main reasons I wrote the article.  Best, Ox

    Posted by Oxygen from  on  08/14  at  04:56 PM

  15. I can’t argue with anything you’ve said.  I will tell you that I haven’t been doing much since my, er, accident of March 19, 2003 - before which I was as active as I knew how to be in Madison.  I did everything I knew how to prevent the US invasion of Iraq.  I am starting to get more involved with Internatioal Socialist Organization here in Chicago, and will become more involved as my recovery progresses.  I would be involved with more organizations but there is a public transportation barrier between my suburban home and Chicago - which is where it all takes place.  I don’t pay war taxes and haven’t for twenty years or more.  I am very proud of that.  And I think you were wrong elsewhere to criticize War Resisters’ League for that.

    That said, I think your voice is unique in expressing the urgency of our precarious existence, and in equating US capitalist imperialism with Nazism, nay worsting it.  I understand that some criticize you for being flowery and verbose, although those are not the adjectives I would use, so much as cryptic.  But I think I understand the terrible effort that must be involved in saying those things.

    Posted by Tracy McLellan from  on  08/14  at  10:04 PM

  16. I appreciate what you’ve done here...and in your life, Tracy. Trust that’s clear as a bell.  Ringading, Ox

    Posted by Questioning Ox from  on  08/15  at  10:21 AM

  17. Hope Tracy will take what I said in #16 to heart.  The “cryptic” enters in as a result of feebly trying to incorporate what is mysterious about life, our activities...in writing. My next piece will attempt to address that...as I look at the role of violence...in what we are doing.

    Posted by Cryptic Ox from  on  08/15  at  11:28 AM

  18. Reza,

    The 18th annual August Women’s Peace Event was held in Sacramento, CA on August 6 to commemorate the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

    The program included honoring the founders of the event; a local singer-songwriter performing; Sachiko Tamura presenting survivor stories and art; Sakura Minyo Dookookai, a Japanese folk dance group, performing;, and Inga Olson of Tri-Valley CARES(Communities Against a Radioactive Environment), speaking on the environmental impact of nuclear weapons work at the Livermore and Sandia Livermore labs. 

    Regards,
    Seth Sandronsky

    Posted by Seth Sandronsky from  on  08/15  at  07:55 PM

  19. Loved your recent article, Seth. So...it seems we must spend time on closing all the Livermore Labs...with a different approach.  It’s very easy to poke holes in me over such a plea, but...I’d like someone to explain why there’s hope vested in the approaches that have been used. Certainly, Kerry’s administration...no matter how much activist pressure applied --by definition relatively small (as per historical precedent)-- will cave on the fundamental issues related to Livermore.  Bless all the people who have sacrificed re the above.  Now...let us at least acknowledge what we must do.  Citizen Ox

    Posted by Citizen Ox from  on  08/15  at  09:20 PM

  20. I appreciate the extensive remarks and report from inside Japan, and as an American I do not agree with the present government in America, or with any neoimperialist actions that America takes.

    However, I wish we could get it clear in everyone’s mind that you can’t blame the sons for the sins of the fathers.  It is right to work for peace and justice always, but it would be so much clearer if people could discriminate between an historical fact:  “Japan did this” and the reality that none of the Japanese soccer players is old enough to have done anything in WWII and before. I feel we all need a mental cleansing (self-analysis) to rid ourselves from the habit of thought that lead to dumb actions, misplaced anger, fruitless and repetitive acts of revenge, the passing of hate and fear down the generations, etc.

    Posted by Sara from  on  08/16  at  08:41 PM

  21. Bad habits, of course, should be reviewed.  And blaming sons for the sins of fathers, of course, is...not kosher.  But I’m at a loss to understand why those aspects of the article were focused on in the commentary. The violence of the past inevitably involves the sons that follow...the way things have been. I hope Press Action readers will tune into what I have to say about violence in an upcoming piece...and provide feedback.  Best, Ox

    Posted by O'Xman from  on  08/16  at  09:21 PM

  22. Sara,
    Thank you for the emphasis that sons should not be shot for sins of fathers. Likewise, citizens should not be bombed for the sins of ‘leaders’, usually a bunch of dictators who stole the office in the first place. Nor should fathers rape and pillage, and gain plenty of loot through it, leave it to the sons and the sons just go about as if they made all that money themselves and legitimately too, and give open public thanks to the fathers and thank them for the loot they left behind, while refusing to apologize and give proper reparations to millions of people whose misery made the loot possible.

    These are all metaphors, of course, but I think the point is clear. I don’t think the article in anyway assigns blame to the sons for the ‘original sin’, if you will. Nor were the Chinese fans mistakenly blaming the sons. The point was, the Chinese fans were using an occasion that could be used to send a ‘message’. Of course, any such message is very complex and by nature is directed at many audiences at once. The article tried, in a short space, to portray some of the context and give some of the sources of anger that was being expressed at those games.
    Respect.

    Posted by reza from  on  08/16  at  11:34 PM

  23. Dear Reza - Thank you for your wonderful and informative DU articles.  Radiation damage to the mitochondria, the parts of the cell that provide the energy for the cell, cause mitochondrial disfunction.  This is expressed as chronic fatigue syndrome, Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, Hodgkins disease, and Lou Gerhrigs disease just to name a few.  Stress may lower immune system response but it does not cause the diseases I have mentioned.  Radiation causes the diseases I have mentioned. 

    The Sandia labs, under contract to make the trigger for nuclear weapons, also does research on the biological effects of radiation.  If you go to my “Question 11: What does the US know about DU?”, and go to page 11, there is a reference to the Sandia lab study I have mentioned:
    http://traprockpeace.org/moret_25nov03.pdf

    It is important to look at disease rates prior to 1945 when the first atomic bombs contaminated the atmosphere and the global environment with radiation, and compare increases in specific disease rates since 1945 which have increased globally and correlate with atmospheric testing and nuclear power plant electicity generation. 

    The new use of DU weaponry begining in 1991, which has released 10 times more radiation (conservative estimate) into the atmosphere than during atmospheric testing, will cause a global nuclear winter… and it has already had an impact which is now being reported in scientific journals. 

    Stress does not cause leukemia in children.  Radiation causes leukemia in children.  Stress does not cause infant mortality and premature births or spontaneous abortions in unborn babies.  Radiation causes these deaths.  Stress does not cause malignancies in 40% of the men in a unit exposed to ONLY DU and vaccines.  VAccines are not known to cause cancer.  However, in my answer to Question 11, it is obvious that nearly every branch of the US govt and the military have been aware for decades that internal exposure to uranium and depleted uranium is extremely hazardous. 

    Most scientists are prostitutes for the military or corporations.  Otherwise they quickly become unemployed, or they may choose to serve humanity (Dr. Takagi of Japan, Dr. John Gofman of UC).  Many scientists and medical professionals are part of the coverup and are well funded to produce research reports that serve their masters.

    It is up to us to educate the public with the truth about the impact of radiation on the health of the environment and on public health.  If not, your country may be the next one bombed with DU… and that will be the end of Paradise.
    Leuren

    Posted by Leuren Moret from  on  08/19  at  04:53 AM
    24. Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. {/if}

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