2 U.S. Marines jailed for taxi robbery in Okinawa

Friday 06th June, 08:45 AM JST

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yabits at 07:31 PM JST - 7th June

sailwind:

In response to your post, in which you said this:

No Kidding, you have the magic wand that will prevent this from happening in the military?

The magic wand is for the military to prey upon Americans. When Japanese visit the US, I don't see any statistics for violent crimes against their hosts because I would expect them to be next to non-existent. If Americans can't behave likewise in Japan, they should leave entirely.
yabits at 07:37 PM JST - 7th June

To keithlee:

As an american I'm glad they got what they deserve, but I would not hold the commanders accounted.

I disagree. The squad leaders and commanders come to know, or SHOULD come to know the character of the people serving under them. They should know what kind of character the subordinates exhibit when they are drinking. If they don't have any sense for who is a risk to cause trouble, they are not fit to be commanders.
USNinJapan2 at 08:23 PM JST - 7th June

Damax6

Save your rounds. Like it or not your attempts (like the ones above) at defending the US military in Japan isn't helping our case any here at Japan Today. You need to learn to pick your fights...
sailwind at 12:42 AM JST - 8th June

Yabits,

Also owe you link that works.

http://nihon.awardspace.com/okinawasofacrime.html
sailwind at 12:48 AM JST - 8th June

http://nihon.awardspace.com/okinawasofacrime.html

This link should work.
Keithlee75 at 05:34 AM JST - 8th June

yabits How Lets put this in an easier context: A person can show a perfect work habit or life style and hide the other. Like Jekel and Hide. As a former military and a Leader in the military, I've had the problem before. I did have a person that was excellent when working, out in public. But come to find out the person was convicted of raping children. The Military leaders do try and weed these out, but impossible. When I was in the Military I tried to analyze my subordinates and try to see who are going to cause trouble. You won't, trust me no even the most experience doctors in the world can determine a persons metal condition over time. But these 2 got what they deserve, and trust me I know they won't like the Kurihama prison here in Yokosuka. I've done escorts their, its not club MED I'll tell ya, but the food is good.

"The squad leaders and commanders come to know, or SHOULD come to know the character of the people serving under them. They should know what kind of character the subordinates exhibit when they are drinking. If they don't have any sense for who is a risk to cause trouble, they are not fit to be commanders."
The_Marion at 10:45 AM JST - 8th June

Punishment? I would return the two of them to their Company Commander, but they will be dressed in Orange jumpsuits and they will be restricted to the Base until they recieve their "plain discharge" at the end of their hitch and during this entire time they will be shunned by the every Marine on the Base.

Upon discharge, I would offer them a second chance to re-enlist in the Corps, but they must act like Marines and there will be NO DRINKING on their second hitch..... A young man should not be destroyed by a drunken mistake
Obakemono at 03:24 PM JST - 8th June

HA HA HA There is no way these 2 soon to be former Marines will ever be given a chance to keep their title of being called Marine because they will now have a new title of Felon. When the JAG and the UCMJ get through with these 2 they will get a Less than Honorable Discharge. Also why is it that everytime a Marine gets busted they always blame Alcohol? seems they never take responsibilty for their actions. 4 years of lost time (Jail Time) will never be able to be made up so reenlistment is an entilement they should not be given.
sailwind at 03:46 PM JST - 8th June

Also why is it that everytime a Marine gets busted they always blame Alcohol? seems they never take responsibilty for their actions.

A better report of the Japanese court proceedings before the sentences were given.

Prosecutors had asked for eight-year sentences for the two Marines, but the judge listened to their defense attorneys’ appeals for leniency on grounds both had endured difficult childhoods in which they’d been shuffled from one foster home to another. Crapps, who at age 19 is considered a minor under Japanese law, was sentence to 3-4 years at forced labor within the prison. The judge praised Riddle for taking responsibility for the crime, protecting the younger Crapps.

http://japanupdate.com/?id=8723

I'm thinking maybe the Marines shouldn't let kids that grew up abandoned and shuffled from one foster home to another in either. I'm sure most liberals would agree with that as they are just trouble waiting to happen like in this case. Though at least one took total responsibility of his actions and didn't blame alcohol.
yabits at 03:19 AM JST - 9th June

I'm thinking maybe the Marines shouldn't let kids that grew up abandoned and shuffled from one foster home to another in either. I'm sure most liberals would agree with that as they are just trouble waiting to happen....

Depends upon how much pent up anger they're carrying around with them. Something that competent screening can reveal, and it doesn't always apply to the foster home stereotype. Also, the Marines are not trained to shun violence but quite the opposite: that violence is often the answer. How does that go? Oh yes, "might makes right."
Obakemono at 03:53 AM JST - 9th June

So in other words people who have had a tough childhood story should be given some Leniency when they almost could have killed a hard working taxi driver. These guys knew a lot better since they were given a oppertunity to make and improve their lives. It seems that people who commit crimes always have some sad or sob story and throw their song and dance when they know they are nothing but Crimnials and know that the system will always give them some sort of consideration when it comes to how much Jail time they will have to serve. I hope that the military will also send these two Robbers to Ft Leavenworth for a few years and then KICK these two Losers out with a Dishonorable Discharge so they can go on with their sad,sad story. These two have really brought a lot of Disgrace to the uniform of th US Military and mostl to all those who in the USMC. (sorry I didn't get to read Japanupdate about the one Marine taking responsibility) but I still feel that these two are nothing but Losers from the beginning. Maybe the US Military should not allow people who have spent time in Foster care because they appear to bring alot of bad Baggage and cannot function in a Military enviroment without some sort of a crutch (sad song and dance) to lean on when something goes wrong in their life (getting busted for robbery) knowing that the system will give them sort of leniency for the way the foster system treated them. Boo Hoo Hoo
telecasterplayer at 02:59 PM JST - 9th June

The two jackasses willfully broke the law and committed violent acts upon another human being in order to save $25. And as usual, some posters are mistaking being pro-military with being apologists for criminals. I propose that those particular posters would be calling for much longer sentences had this been American-on-American violence in Oklahoma instead of Okinawa.

The Japanese court got it right. The Japanese court would have gotten it wrong had it been a Nihonjin-on-Nihonjin violence resulting in lighter sentences.
sailwind at 10:13 PM JST - 9th June

Agreed

Something that competent screening can reveal, and it doesn't always apply to the foster home stereotype.

Speaking of stereotypes

Also, the Marines are not trained to shun violence but quite the opposite: that violence is often the answer. How does that go? Oh yes, "might makes right."

I guess I can consider every Marine I meet will resort to violence. How does that go? Oh yes, "Thank You so I can post."
Damax6 at 11:20 PM JST - 9th June

Thanks for the advice on the "saving the rounds".. BUT , like it or not we are here becuase of what the japanese did in WW2. Like it or not, there will be ALWAYS some sort of incident with some numbskull stationed here. Most soldiers, sailors , airman , and marine do NOT look forward being stationed in the far east.

With that being said, We should let the "heiwa boke" Japanese take care and defend her own country. remember we are not only here to keep peace ,BUT also to prevent japan , like germany, from building the WAR machine they had . My grand dad paid with his life on Iwo-Jima. So...... Yes some numdskulls will screw^up, BUT the armed forces are paying with a higher price.
CONTRARY at 11:23 AM JST - 11th June

I DO wish Keithlee would learn how to spell in English, before letting us know his "leadership qualifications". Jekyll and Hyde as in Doctor and Mister. Wonder what the percentage rate is, for violence and other crimes perpetrated (against not only the Japanese, but in their home country as well) in comparison to the Army, Navy, and Air Force? Perhaps you don't NEED to "throw the baby out with the bath-water"