Graham DeShazo's past comments

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 18, 2013 - 08:41AM JST

  Putin is a thug (& if you believe Bob Craft, a thief as well). The West is right to confront him. Russia is a free-rider on the global order benefitting from, but contributing nothing to existing protocols.

  Diplomatically, Russia, and Putin in particular, has a history of supporting the worst scum imaginable with diplomatic cover and weapons to assist in genocide.

  Politcally, Russia is a democracy in name only, with those that ask uncomfortable questions finding extra holes in their heads.

  Economically, apart from LNG which it uses as a tool of diplomatic punishment, Russia's three biggest exports would seem to be Kalashnikovs, Vodka, and organized crime. Can anybody tell me why they are in the G-8 beyond several thousand nuclear weapons?

  If Putin and his thugocracy want to remain trapped in an 80's mindset, lets let them. You want cold? You get cold. But remember Vladimir, the days of us fearing the Red Army coursing through the Fulda Gap at a moments notice are over. We tolerate rather than fear you.

  Posted in: Putin, Obama face off over Syria; rebels get Saudi missiles

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 16, 2013 - 05:20PM JST

  Ah yes, Pakistan. Where terrorists are allowed to run free, women and minorities are blown up, and the govt uses radicalism as a tool of national policy. But hey, the do lead the world in searches for gay porn on the Internet, so I guess that's something.

  Posted in: 25 killed in women's university bus, hospital bombings in Pakistan

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 16, 2013 - 05:17PM JST

  We're not buying the same horse twice. Keep the previous agreements you made, THEN we'll talk. The North is solely responsible for the "hostile environment" on the peninsula. They need to be the ones to move first. Until then, enlightened ambivalence should be our policy.

  Posted in: N Korea proposes high-level talks with U.S.

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 16, 2013 - 05:09PM JST

  Next up, landing F-35 Lightnings. Then Japan has a small carrier and true force projection capability.

  Posted in: U.S. Marines land Osprey aircraft on Japanese naval vessel

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 16, 2013 - 11:41AM JST

  To call her dumb-as-a-post would be insulting....to the post.

  Posted in: Sarah Palin back at Fox News

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 13, 2013 - 06:51PM JST

  Punks? Jail time? You guys need to take it down a notch or three. Yes, they should not have done it. Yes, there should be repricussions. But this was honestly quite funny, and lots of us law-and-order adults did this type of thing when we were youn and dumb too.

  Posted in: Two Japanese youths arrested for placing exploding bag of dog poop in police box

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 11, 2013 - 07:54AM JST

  Boy, it must REALLY grate on the Japan Judo Association to be taken to the mat (pun!) publicly by the world governing body of a sport they founded. That said, the comments are appropriate and as the world governing body, the IJF should tell Japan that if it cannot clean up its own mess, the IJF will do it for them in the form of Suspensions from international competition.

  Posted in: World judo chief urges Japan to clean up its act after scandals

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 11, 2013 - 07:50AM JST

  Abayo, Uchu-jin! For making promises that you couldn't deliver, back-stabing your major security partner, and living in economic la-la land with respect to the TPP, you replace Yasuhiro Mori as the most ineffective Prime Minister in Japanese history (and THAT'S not an easy thing to accomplish!).

  Congrats, and please don't go away mad. Just go away.

  Posted in: Former PM Hatoyama to leave DPJ

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 04, 2013 - 04:59PM JST

  Some days it is very frustrating to see that we of a certain age (I had JUST turned 19) are the only ones who seem to remember or care. I find it very frustrating that the Chinese themselves don't seem to care as long as their incomes go up. They have let the CCP put them in a prison. Yes, it has ipods, leather seats, most internet access, and Vivendi, but it's still a prison...

  To those who say that China is now a modern nation and that we should let it go, I say hop a flight over to Beijing and quietly and without drama set a small basket of flowers in the middle of the square and see what happens to you. The CCP has not changed one bit. It is still determined to maintain its undemocratic, despotic grip at any and all costs. The ONLY change is that it has replaced the laughably bad ideology of Communism with the more attractive and dangerous ideology of nationalism.

  Posted in: China blocks Tiananmen anniversary remembrance

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 04, 2013 - 02:48PM JST

  One thing that no Japanese politician seems to understand (because none of them have a history of military service) is the importance of combined-arms training, especially for the Marine Corps.

  If the giants had their pitchers in Okinawa and their catchers in Hokkaido, do you really think that they would win? Well this is like that, only people die. The marines must train as a unit, and Okinawa has both the space and the location to deploy quickly to the Korean Peninsula.

  Posted in: Osaka offers to host Osprey training drills

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 03, 2013 - 12:31AM JST

  Communisim is a dirty word because it is utterly dictatorial in its governmental sphere (anyone with a repeated choice choses something else, the list of countries that have thrown communism in the puke bucket is too long to list), and laugably naive (especially in terms of incentives) in its economic incarnation.

  Democracy and Capitalism are not perfect and could be improved, but both ideologies blow Communism out of the water. Need proof? The CCP has abandoned economic communism, and only holds on to political communism through the force of the internal security apparatus. The CCP is more scared of its own people than it is of any of its neighbors including the United States.

  Posted in: China accuses U.S. of prejudice over Tiananmen

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 02, 2013 - 03:43PM JST

  OK, so much for Turkey's Olympic bid. As a Euro-Asian country, with a majority Islamic population, I think that they were Tokyo's greatest competition. Not anymore. Rule #1 of the Olympics, no rioting, strife, or other violence.

  Spain is not credible as it has no funding, 20% unemployment and is facing a secession crisis.

  I guess Tokyo gets it by default as long as Ishi keeps his yap shut.

  Posted in: Protesters celebrate after police leave Istanbul square

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  Graham DeShazoJun. 02, 2013 - 03:35PM JST

  There is one small problem, we all saw the Chinese govt. murder its own citizens. We saw the soldiers in APCs run them down. We have first-person accounts from people who were there who witnessed infantry opening up on unarmed civilians with assault rifles.

  This is why no matter how big or powerful China gets, it will not be one of us ("us" being the modern nations of the world). When the chips are down, they are prefectly willing to harrass, jail, or murder their own citizens to protect their dictatorial rule.

  I watched it. I won't forget about it.

  Posted in: China accuses U.S. of prejudice over Tiananmen

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  Graham DeShazoMay. 31, 2013 - 08:30PM JST

  Don't let the door hit your sizable backside. I believe reality tv is we're had berms go to shrivel before our eyes.

  On a different note, the entire reality genre is unmitigated crap. Networks get to cut costs and we get the Kardashians. .....

  Posted in: Mariah Carey not returning to 'American Idol'

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  Graham DeShazoMay. 28, 2013 - 07:19AM JST

  Billy Whats-his-face from Green Day summed this one up well. This guy is the Herpes of pop music.

  Posted in: Japan still skeptical of PSY’s popular appeal

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  Graham DeShazoMay. 27, 2013 - 09:58AM JST

  Oh boy. Here we go...

  Posted in: Rocket fired from Lebanon toward Israel

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  Graham DeShazoMay. 26, 2013 - 10:43PM JST

  There is no way that I would knowingly allow my family to eat rice from this region. Will I be afforded that right?

  Posted in: Farmers resume planting rice near crippled Fukushima site

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  Graham DeShazoMay. 26, 2013 - 01:42PM JST

  One thing that I am surprised that no one has commented on yet is the fact that he will be doing this press conference at the Foreign Correspondents Club. Not the comfy-cozy "that's off limits" Japanese clubs. He may get more and tougher questions than he bargained for.

  My prediction (and feverent hope) is that the Foreign Press mauls this clown like a back of wolves going after a loan, tired out elk. I may skip work on Monday just to watch. (Note to self: buy popcorn.)

  Posted in: Hashimoto to apologize to U.S. at Monday's news conference

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  Graham DeShazoMay. 24, 2013 - 07:16AM JST

  Now would be the time for adult behavior by members of both administrations to distance themselves from the commentary of their "less-intelligent" constituents. Unfortunately, I see little likelyhood that such maturity will manifest itself.

  Posted in: S Korean paper says A-bombs on Japan were 'divine punishment'

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  Graham DeShazoMay. 24, 2013 - 07:11AM JST

  What is wrong with talking? Nothing when you are dealing with a party that is interested in a mutually agreed settlement that satisfies both parties core interests, and long-term relations. That is called negotiation. The North wants none of those things. It wants to weaken the resolve of the tri-lateral (U.S., South Korea, Japan), pocket some concessions, and then go back to it's default tension-rasing behavior. That is why talking on this issue is bad.

  We know who did this. We know they lied even after 2002. We have no basis to believe that the North will agree to release other living abductees. So, why is Japan talking?

  I do understand the emotional tug of bringing home the abductees living and dead, but this is where macro-vision is needed. Which is more important, a single-digit number of persons who may or may not be alive, or the 127,000,000 Japanese citizens that would be in mortal peril should the North develop a reliable nuclear delivery vehicle?

  Also, way to go Abe for taking your security guarantor and throwing them under the bus. The U.S. has gone to bat for you over the Senkaku's and this is how you act? Perhaps we should remember that when the Chinese start sending PLA naval vessles (not the coast guard or fisheries ministry) into Japan's territorial waters.

  Posted in: Japan considers talks with N Korea, surprising allies