Trump Muses Privately About Ending Postwar Japan Defense Pact
Source: Bloomberg News
By Jennifer Jacobs
June 24, 2019, 9:07 PM CDT Updated on June 25, 2019, 3:06 AM CDT
President Donald Trump has recently mused to confidants about withdrawing from a longstanding defense treaty with Japan, according to three people familiar with the matter, in his latest complaint about what he sees as unfair U.S. security pacts.
Trump regards the accord as too one-sided because it promises U.S. aid if Japan is ever attacked, but doesnt oblige Japans military to come to Americas defense, the people said. The treaty, signed more than 60 years ago, forms the foundation of the alliance between the countries that emerged from World War II.
Even so, the president hasnt taken any steps toward pulling out of the treaty, and administration officials said such a move is highly unlikely. All of the people asked not to be identified discussing Trumps private conversations. While Trumps repeated criticism of security pacts around the world has alarmed allies from Seoul to Paris, he hasnt moved to withdraw from such agreements the way he has with trade deals.
Exiting the pact would jeopardize a postwar alliance that has helped guarantee security in the Asia Pacific, laying the foundation for the regions economic rise. Under the terms of its surrender in World War II, Japan agreed to a pacifist constitution in which it renounced the right to wage war.
Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-25/trump-muses-privately-about-ending-postwar-japan-defense-pact
ashredux
(2,605 posts)Judi Lynn
(160,530 posts)MBS
(9,688 posts)How can ANYone who calls themselves "patriots" be OK with this wholesale betrayal of our country and its Constitution?
We have GOT to win back the White House and the Senate in 2020.
neohippie
(1,142 posts)He wants to cozy up to the autocrats and ruin our relationships with allies.
This sounds like it would cede US International power to Putin and China, another one right from the Putin wishlist
Let's destroy our alliances and just bow out of the new world order, in favor of what, giving up military bases, to offer Trump some real estate
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Bayard
(22,071 posts)Spilling the beans? The man has no friends.
He's certainly not a student of history.
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,446 posts)rockfordfile
(8,704 posts)Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(107,985 posts)Yet the Republicans still love him
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)...then the other nations are just fatally stupid.
Anyone who still trusts us should be committed.