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proposed withdrawing U.S. ground forces from South Korea,

but even then, in a palpably more dangerous time, our

allies ultimately accepted the decision with some equanimi-

ty.83

Could unforeseen circumstances arise?  Of course, and

then Washington should act as a distant balancer,

cooperating with friendly states if necessary to protect

important interests that would otherwise go undefended.

But the daisy chain necessary to connect most local and

regional complications to vital U.S. interests is a long

one.  And the daisy chain no longer leads back to a ruth-

less global hegemonic threat.  China, Russia, North Korea,

and that all-purpose bogeyman "instability" just aren't

adequate substitutes.  As Gertrude Stein said of Oakland,

"There is no there there."

The price of having won World War II should not be a

commitment to forever patrol East Asia, guarding nations

that prefer to devote their resources to economic develop-

ment rather than military protection and avoid dealing

with emotions still raw from past Japanese aggression.

The Cold War may have left the United States little option

except to have a significant military presence in East

Asia, but Washington won its struggle against the Soviet-

led communist threat nearly a decade ago.  The American

people should not be expected to surrender more dollars

and risk more lives to police East Asia for as long as

Washington's allies consider that convenient.

Conclusion

It is time for Washington and Tokyo to treat the

Okinawans justly.  Nothing can excuse the past treatment

of the island, but both governments can now adapt to the

future.  The issue is primarily Japan's responsibility,

since Tokyo could, any time it wished, tell America to go

home.  But justice for the Okinawans is also a U.S. obli-

gation, since Washington knowingly imposed the bases on an

unwilling population.  "The American people don't know

such a small island has such a large presence," concedes

Miki.84   But American policymakers do.

Okinawans have proved to be incredibly patient people.

For a half century they have borne the brunt of U.S. force

deployments in Japan.  Although that burden might have

been necessary during the Cold War, the world has changed.

It is time to adjust American force levels and deployments

accordingly.  "Up till now, Okinawa's history has been