LDP's Nakatani calls opponents of refueling mission 'terrorists'

It has lost dictionary meaning since 9.11.2001 - Innocent people killed in airstrikes in Afghan, Pak, Iraq etc.. are
called 'terrorists', Islamic people call American people (Bush in particular) as 'terrorists', now Gen Nakatani is calling japanese legislators as 'terrorists'! It is a trendy word anybody anywhere can use to justify one's own purpose.
As such, it should not be considered as an offensive term, especially by those in power !

 

Nakatani sounds way too much like Dick Cheney.
Cheney has made similar comments about people in the U.S. who oppose the war in Iraq. (I don't think he actually called them terrorists, just said they were helping their cause.)
There is nothing to be gained by this kind of over-heated rhetoric.
In the case of Japan, given Article 9 of the constitution, there can be a legitimate argument made that the refueling is unconstitutional. To label someone who might hold this view a terrorist is simply ignorent.
But, then again, ignorence is often a common trait among LDP honchos.

 

A few years from now, the antagonist from "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" will be wearing a ski mask and a suicide vest.

Seriously, if I had a penny for every time I've heard the word "terrorist" after 9/11, I'd be paying someone to write this post for me now.

 

what makes someone who opposes an illegal war, a terrorist?

 

it would be more accurate to call them the booger men.

 

You are not with us, you are with the terrorists!
Now you should understand why Japan was the one of most flavorable nation in american 's views, they were true workshippers of Bush's doctrine!

 

what he calls the opposition. DPJ received more than half of the votes from the electorate in the recent Upper House elections. Now, they were quite aware of the DPJ's position on overseas missions. The term "terrorists" may apply to a large sector of the electorate, soooooooo watch out. The LDP may not have a wonderful outing in the next Lower House elections. It's a pain, but this is what democracy is like. It's been a long time since any opposition had ANY clout in the Diet.

 

Well, I guess "commie" and "pinko" are a little worn out. The rightist never fails to reach for emotional words to brand political opponents the same as real enemies and go right for character assassination. Pathetic and irrational, but oddly effective.

 

Slavemaster: Nice Freudian slip. Barefoot Gen treads heavily indeed.

As for labelling any dissenter a terrorist, that`s simply laughable. Far worse (and truer) labels can just as easily be appended to those on the Government side who have connived in the misuse of public funds for a mission that was not sanctioned by the UN and which flouts Japan`s constitution.

 

People that use the "if you dont are whit me, you are against me" concept, can be called paranoids.

Whit that logic, any neutral country on earth is an enemy of the US. I think that Nakatani-san make a poor help to the US whit these kind of statements. Whit friends like him, who need enemies?

Anyway, rebuild Irak is one thing, and refuel a war machine, is another thing. I think that our constitution dont allow us to join a war even in a support role (yet). The legality of these operation is 0. Want to change that? Change the constitution first.

 

mareo: Yeah, too much paranoia. I`m supposed to watch out for terrorists among school children - according to the school bus stop sign.