U.S. asks Japan to pay part of costs to boost Afghan army

Tuesday 07th October, 09:02 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 53 Total Comments Show All

mareo2 at 03:31 PM JST - 7th October

So I guess there should be free lunches for the Japanese. You have no idea how the world works dude.

With all the respect to you and your opinion meanmutha, when any proud, hard-working culture, japanese asked for free launches?
meanmutha at 03:37 PM JST - 7th October

yep. No more debate plz. All the best.
meanmutha at 03:39 PM JST - 7th October

then again. Gomen dude. It appears you are Japanese. Very sensative. Anyway mate, "Free lunches" mean something for free. All would agree. Sorry to rain on your parade...
cleo at 04:14 PM JST - 7th October

meanmutha -

With all due respect and profound apologies for overworking an already played-out metaphor, I think you'll find it's the US that has been running rampant through the restaurant and now expects someone else - anyone else - to pick up the tab. And wash the dishes.

If you're not prepared to pay, don't vote in a war monger in the first place.
Osakadaz at 04:16 PM JST - 7th October

Maybe the convenience stores could start selling 'freedom furoshiki bentos' to shore up the military investment in this black hole that has become Afghanistan and Iraq? One could say that invading Iraq was biting off slightly more than the U.S. could chew and that they may have achieved more by sticking to the original 'mission' of rooting out the terrorists in Afghanistan and really making that place worth living first? I am from one of the countries that is militarily helping America in it's war against terror, but I think George Bush should have listened to the advice he was given about not starting a war on two fronts that would just fragment world opinion and splinter these terrorists further around the globe.I think it is a bit rich for America to start asking for handouts now that this war has sapped its economy.
Nessie at 04:41 PM JST - 7th October

No-one overextends a metaphor like Cleo.
meanmutha at 04:43 PM JST - 7th October

cleo, good point.
cleo at 05:51 PM JST - 7th October

Nessie -

:D
888naff at 07:23 PM JST - 7th October

Because of all the free money the us army gets from Japan , this matter would have been better handled via the UN, if further funding for an international issue is required. It would make the issue less cloudy... After Iraq I thought (yeah who am I kidding)the US would realise they would get more public support in the long run that way for any of their fp ideas.
Weasel at 11:00 PM JST - 7th October

This is akin to someone who goes to an expensive restaurant with a couple of co-workers (that they really don't like the guy anyway), gets that embarrassing notification that his credit card was declined, so he asks his partners if they'll help him foot the bill. Much like has been said, (1) don't go out to eat if you don't have the cash for the bill, or (2) get ready to wash a lot of dishes 'cause there ain't no such thing as a free meal and people don't like to support a moocher.
taikan at 03:38 AM JST - 8th October

"we, alongside the Mujahideen, bled Russia for ten years, until it went bankrupt and was forced to withdraw in defeat. . . . So we are continuing this policy in bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy." Osama Bin Laden, October 29, 2004

The Bush administration's request that Japan contribute to the cost of funding the Afghan army shows that Al-Qaeda's strategy to bankrupt America is working. The question for Japan is whether it also wishes to become a victim of that strategy and the Bush administration's inability to deal with it.
tclh at 03:44 AM JST - 8th October

On another thought, if in the end noone wants to help ,America can start to have a goooood look into corporates's CEOs pay packages and take from those. After all they get the MOST benefits from safe, paeceful environment provided by the US armed forces .Wishful thinking?
teaabe at 09:12 AM JST - 8th October

what happened to superman?
nikoniko at 05:32 PM JST - 8th October

dogdog - second your observation

taikan - second your observation as well

and "free lunches" !? WTHey!? no "free lunch" on my hard earned plate of food here (or bowl of rice) ... if America had to work as hard just to get or get TO a job as Japanese do, they would rethink that expression

or pay as high amt for gas and parking ... and parking not just at stores, but to keep your car on a parking LOT when your at "home" (meaning apartment)

Instead, the USA needs to GROW UP and deal wisely with the big boys who earn the money and take from the ever growing poor in the states! God bless THOSE people, indeed. Ah, we are all ranting now huh? Everyone, do your best! Ganbarimasu~
reddragonguy at 12:41 PM JST - 9th October

Why every countries see japan as a bank's automatic teller machine?