Bedfellows of Imperialism

Imperialist countries have more in common than those who have not had that historical experience. This explains why the U.S. and Japan act so unconscionably towards Okinawa, insisting that the American military presence continue there and even in expanding it, in spite of a long history of abuses. Okinawans have had no success in getting the Japanese government on their side on this issue; instead, the Japanese have bent over backwards to prove to the Americans that they are their allies, sacrificing the Okinawans in the process.

We in Puerto Rico know fully well what having American military bases on one's soil amounts to. Culebra and Vieques, two very small inhabited islands, were used as target practice for decades. Although the Americans left a long time ago, their abuse has not stopped. The U.S. government has done a very poor job of cleaning the islands of live ordnance and toxic waste.

Imperialism dies hard.

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