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Terminate Irrelevant Military

ticipate in combat missions alongside

Ties to Australia

their U.S. allies. American military

personnel will still be expected to risk

their lives to repel any act of aggres-

Even less relevant than the defense agree-

sion that threatens the security of

ments with South Korea and Japan are the

East Asia while Japan merely provides

Australia­New  Zealand­United  States

such things as fuel, spare parts, and

(ANZUS) accord, which went into deep freeze

medical supplies. The new defense

in 1984 after New Zealand blocked port

guidelines do nothing to end Japan's

access by nuclear-armed and nuclear-pow-

status as an American military depen-

ered American ships, and the annual

dent; they merely allow Japan to be a

Australia­United States Ministerial Consul-

slightly more active and helpful

tations (AUSMIN). ANZUS, created in the

dependent.69

aftermath of World War II, was from its

inception directed less at containing the

Soviet Union, which had no military presence

This is the crucial point: the changes entail

in the South Pacific, than at preventing a new

providing greater access or resources for U.S.

military operations.70 A cynic might argue that

round of Japanese aggression. But since

The principal

Tokyo had been decisively defeated and com-

the principal significance of the new defense

significance of the

pletely disarmed, later to be fully integrated

guidelines is that Japan is now willing to pro-

into the Western defense network, ANZUS

vide body bags for U.S. soldiers killed defend-

new defense guide-

was outmoded the day it was signed. The

ing Japanese interests.

lines is that Japan

1984 brouhaha merely confirmed its irrele-

vance.74

is now willing to

Rising Japanese Resentment of the U.S.

"Watchdog"

Which leaves AUSMIN. Australia faces no

provide body bags

Tokyo is unlikely to continue supporting a

meaningful threats to its security. The notion

for U.S. soldiers

permanent foreign watchdog that seems to be

of an attack from a serious military pow-

there to constrain Japan. Tensions will likely

er--China, India, Vietnam--borders on a

killed defending

grow as the lack of other credible missions for

paranoid fantasy. Canberra, blessed with

Japanese interests.

the U.S. forces becomes increasingly obvious.

splendid isolation and economic prosperity,

Popular anger is already evident in Okinawa,

can easily provide whatever forces it deems

where American military facilities occupy one-

necessary to protect Australia from a lesser

fifth of the island's land mass.71 As far back as

threat.

Washington should put ANZUS out of its

March 1990, a Japanese newspaper columnist

misery and simply discard AUSMIN.

complained that the Japanese people "cannot

Australia and America should maintain

feel good about paying for a watchdog that

mutually beneficial military cooperation,

watches them."72 Economic and political

such as intelligence sharing and emergency

brawls already erupt between the two nations

port access. At the same time, Canberra

with disquieting regularity, and polls find ris-

should enhance its military activities in coop-

ing popular anger in both countries.73

eration with other nations in the area.

Washington should develop a program for

the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Japan,

starting with those in Okinawa. That with-

Foster Regional Security

drawal can and should be accomplished in no

Cooperation

more than six years. At the end of that time,

Washington and Tokyo should replace their

mutual defense treaty with a more limited

Indeed, the United States should encour-

agreement providing for emergency base and

age expanded regional security discussions

port access, joint military exercises, and intelli-

and institutions in general. Through the

gence sharing.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

12