Electric shock syndrome? A god among men? (360 hits)
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Submitted by UCSBguy (View user info) at 2007-06-25 21:00:34 EDT
OK ETS, the time has come for you to shut the fuck up and I'll tell you why.
I cannot figure out why you think the government thinks up ways to conspire against you. The government isn't one man or an elite board of corporate heads. There is no fucking CEOS who get together on the weekend and discuss how your life ought to be. Many of these corprate heads worked their way to the top like Jack Welsh. Im sure they are concerned with profits but if they aren't then they won't be able to compete internationally and guess whos pocket that hurts in the long run? Except you, you do not have employment nor can comprehend the grand capatalist system we live in. be proud that in America we have the best pharmecutical, technological, and financial system in the world. Guess what you are free riding it and constantly bitching.
The government cares about you, only to the point that you help make this country wealthier. sitting in your mothers basement thinking of ways Bush plans to take over the world is by no means bettering this country. I ponder why you don't go out and climb your way to the top of the corprate chain so you can stop this 'miserable rule'. Who do you think is conspiring? the CIA? well my freind the CIA hasn't been bad ass since the OSS became them in the 40s. Now the CIA is a buncha wimpy college grads whome sit behind a cublicle. The executive branch? I wont even touch this. the NSA? seriously ETS do you know the only reason you exist today is because of these organizations. Without them you would be speaking Russian. Show some fucking respect and face reality.
This world is a sick place and the only languge they speak is death. We need to use excessive force to give the picture that we are not to be fucked with. I've been to Sudan and Sierra Leon. I've seen genocide first hand. You'd be proud to know that in America we helped put a stop to genocides fueled by european colonization. America has done alot for this world and continues today to provide the most foreign aid, asylum, and military support to people who want an end to this violence.
The Northern Territory dispute between Russia and Japan
Intro:
To understand the right and wrongs of this territorial dispute one must look at the history of the islands and their transfers. Additionally, one must look at modern consequences and need for the territorial dispute. When this is weighed, one can create solutions and ideas on how to resolve long standing territory issues. In this case the territorial dispute shall involve Japan and Russia over the Northern or Kurile islands. Taking into account the priors, one will come to the conclusion that the islands disputed against should ultimately be under Japanese control.
History of the dispute:
The key to resolving modern territory disputes is to look at history to understand treaties, wars, and territory transfer.
The dispute over the Kuriles or Northern territories as the Japanese may call them has been a serious issue and block in the relations of Japan and Russia. The early history involves. After the 1600's Russia was becoming a strong pacific power and laid claim to Sakhalin island and the Kuriles as well as over Amur and Ussouri territories on mainland (now Amur province and Maritime territory of Russian Federation, by the time described North-East territories of Manchu China)(Anderson). At the same time of these claims Japan was rapidly expanding northward and thus conflict was inevitable. This led to the Treaty of Shimoda, as Japan and Russia began to establish diplomatic relations. In this treaty the there included an agreement on national borders between the two empires in accordance with which most of the Kuril islands were recognized as part of Russia while Japanese sovereignty was laid out in the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri and Shikotan. Article 2 of the treaty stated that: "Henceforth the boundary between the two nations shall lie between the islands of Etorofu and Uruppu" (Anderson). This basically says that Etorofu shall belong to Japan and the Kuriles islands shall belong to Russia. With the Russo-Japanese war ending in Japan's victory, the islands of Sakhalin, Kuriles and Liaotung were taken from Russia. This only reversed itself when the Russians defeated the Japanese at the end of ww2 when Russia claimed the southern half of Sakhalin and the Kuriles. The Russians felt they were doing the U.S. a service by declaring war on Japan, and therefore had the right to retake land as they deemed fit. Soviet military occupied surrounding islands in an aggressive type manner. At the same time, an occupying nation's obligation, including respect for the private rights of the residents are provided for by international norms including the 1907 Hague Convention respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land(Anderson). Stalin ignored these international norms and incorporated the territories under occupation into its own territory by the Decree of Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, dated February 2, 1946 (Anderson). This act was executed without a peace treaty and was in complete violation of international law.
Historical issues continued:
However, under the totalitarian system, this annexation was disguised as if it were a legal act, and such propaganda had long been continued as if the islands of Etorofu, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai had legally become Soviet territory. The issue stems back form 1951 when the San Francisco treaty was signed. In the treaty, Japan claims the rights to all islands in figure 1. To this day the Kuriles came into Soviet hands as a result of World War II and the maneuverings of Josef Stalin. The Soviet dictator shaped the issue as it stands today during the Yalta conference in February 1945, where he secured Soviet claims on the southern part of Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands in exchange for promising the Allies that the Soviet Union would enter the war against imperial Japan. As a result of its only World War II campaign against Japan -- the Battle of Manchuria -- the Soviet Union took control of the Kurile Islands. However, it failed in 1951 to finalize the deal when it decided against signing the San Francisco Treaty, which outlined the postwar fate of the Islands. During some very high tension talks between Japan and Russia on August 1956 Krushev offered to return the southern most islands of Shikotan and the Habomais in return for ceasing further talks and dropping the issue. Japan rejected this offer, feeling that it was either all or none. U.S backed Japan's position by quoting, "Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and Habomai group were never historically or geographically considered part of the Kurile Islands and therefore Russia had no right to occupy them even under the so-called Yalta agreement"(Anderson). Little progress has been made since then and a number of incidents like the Russian Military killing of a Japanese fisherman near the area have slowed modern progress. It wasn't until about 16 years ago with the fall of the Soviet Union that talks resumed. In 1991 when Gorbachev and Kaifu began talks for Perestroika support, Russia for the first time recognized the need to discuss the territory dispute issue.
An example of a case where the consequences can be seen first hand is with Hiroshi Sakamoto, a retired Hokkaido government official. Hokkaido told Asia Times On-line, "I was born on Karafuto [a former Japanese territory on southern Sakhalin], but when I was an infant, my family had to flee as the Soviets occupied our home town [in 1945] and seized control of the entire island (Velisarious). We know we will never get that territory back. In many respects, the same is now probably true for the Northern Territories. Those islands rightfully should be returned to Japan, but after sixty years you get used to the fact that they probably will not. I think many of the older generation feel a deep sense of regret about this, but nevertheless accept it as a painful fact."(Curtin)
Figure 1
Figure 2
Analysis of Current solutions and events:
Yeltsin Years
• Most events to have impacted this current situation have little to no importance until the early 90's with Boris Yeltsin. A scheduled trip was to be made for the Russian President Boris Yeltsin to visit Japan. Due to an immense amount of letters and political anguish Boris Yeltsin decided to cancel the trip. With the cancellation he disallowed any further progress or talks on the Kuriles. This cancellation caused feelings of separation and disallowed the Japanese government to continue negotiations until another event occurred to draw Japan and Russia together. In October 1993, Russian President Boris Yeltsin finally paid an official visit to Japan, and after negotiating with then Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa, the Tokyo Declaration was signed together with the package of 18 other documents (Anderson). The Declaration was clearly aimed at working out a fair peace treaty, solving territorial claims basing on historical facts and legal documents... as well as on the principles of law and justice". The following years involved a number of complex negotiations and visits to establish a series of bilateral negotiations. One of the large purposes of these talks was to even relations between the nations on the territorial disputes and gain legitimate bargaining power over the Kuriles. One such example is through the "Yeltsin-Hashimoto Plan".
Yeltsin-Hashimoto Plan:
• Promotion of Japanese investments in Russian Federation
• Involvement of Japanese corporations in modernization of Trans-Siberian Railway, as well as the airports, power stations and seaports of Russian Far East
• Japanese acceptance of the guarantees provided by 11 Russian banks for Japanese investments
• Agreement to conclude the peace treaty by the year 2000
However the problem with this treaty is the territorial issue was mentioned indirectly only, as a pre-condition of the planned peace treaty and with no concrete agreements (Anderson). Further talks like the Kawana Summit were established to create friendly and warmer relations between the two countries. With relations becoming better, Prime Minister Hashimoto made a new proposal for the future peace treaty between the two countries. The new proposal recommended Russia's official recognition of the South Kuril Islands / Northern territories (Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomais) as part of Japan (Anderson). Russian response was to solve the problem bilaterally with a counter proposal. Yeltsin's offer contained the following specific negotiations:
1. There should be a separate agreement on South Kuriles after the signing the peace treaty in 2000.
2. Keeping in mind "the delicacy" of the problem, both parties should agree on non-promulgation of the contents of their initiatives
What we are seeing here is an avoidance of the issue by Russian authorities and a subtle attempt of prolonging the dispute. A counter proposal was still made to keep the populations, but change ownership to Japan. However, it was never officially published and soon all the powers were transferred to the new Russian President. During the Yeltsin era very few substantial terms were made to actually conclude talks on the issue. This is mainly because Russia will be losing on the deal. We are just beginning to see that the situation is almost hopeless. The problem should have been solved about 40 years ago when the issue was fresh, not when an entire generation of Russians have populated and led lives on the islands. This situation definitely differed from the Sino-Russian border disputes of 1995 disputed areas in Amur and Ussuri rivers and thousands sq. miles of previously Russian cedar forests and hunting grounds. In these cases the territory disputes were solved quickly and diplomatically. It seems that the Russians are using strategic diplomacy to avoid situations with countries they can afford to avoid. China is a necessary power in the near future and will provide a huge weapons market for Russia, hence more priority to use diplomacy. Past Russian presidents have avoided fulfilling talks with countries which are not a military and social threat to them. Cases of this include; Russian-Indian relations and Russian-Taiwanese relations. In both of these instances the Russians put relations on threat-priority levels.
Modern Russian Perspective
The next era starts with Putin becoming President of Russia. We will focus on the Russian president change rather than the Japanese Prime Minister change. This is because the Japanese have remained fairly consistent on their views toward the Kuriles dispute, whereas the views have changed with a change in Russian Presidency. The approach of new Russian President Vladimir Putin to the problem of Northern territories demonstrates the slide back to pre-1956 Soviet position on the disputed islands. Putin has given a much firmer stance on the territorial dispute by saying, "there is no territorial dispute between Japan and Russia", and "The occupation of the Kuriles was a mistake" (Curtin). These quotes just make the feeling of any talks proceeding on the issue as a complete waste of time. Putin views the island as a natural line of defense. In a national phone in with Tokyo Putin ruled out talks. This is of course not to take away from the fact that talks have been made or will in the future be made with Japan over the Kuriles. In the initial transfer of Yeltsin to Putin, Putin made the appearance of talks accessible and optimistic. But midway through his second term his administration completely reversed course, backing its tough new stance via statements and deeds. Russian President Vladimir Putin first vocalized Russia's tougher stance regarding the archipelago, of which four are most contentious, during an interview in September 2005. "As for the negotiating process with Japan regarding the four Kurile Islands," he said, "the islands are under the jurisdiction of Russia, it is codified in international law, it is a result of World War II and, as far as [possession] is concerned we are not going to discuss anything. But are we ready to talk from this starting point". Putins trade minister German Gref announced big plans to develop the shrinking population of 15,000 with 600 million Rubles (Anderson). This will make it the most funded per capita area in all of Russia. Defense Minster Sergei Ivanov announced that the lion's share of these funds will be allocated for infrastructure projects to be carried out largely by the military and Federal Security Service personnel that make up two-thirds of the islands' population. This will make it evident that Russia has no plans to release these islands. This of course caused immense amount of outcry in Japan with only subtle attempts by the Russians to calm the situation down. An example of this is the Duma International Relations Committee Chairman Konstatin Kosachev saying August 29 that "the issue of the development of the Kurile Islands is an exclusively Russian domestic issue. It has no relevance at all to Russia's relations with Japan and Japan's well-known claims to the islands" (Devillafrance). During the earlier parts of Putin's presidency Koizumi was prime minister of Japan. Koizumi focused a lot of attention and time on the northern dispute. This mainly occurred because to him the dispute is a long standing problem of Japans dark history. The only way to get past this dark history is to leave impression of it behind, like the soviet occupation of it. Koizumi therefore attempted to make visits to Russia to press the issue further. While acknowledging the publicity aspect of the visits, most political analysts think Koizumi is serious about trying to resolve the territorial dispute. His trip is interpreted as an attempt to generate momentum ahead of next February's talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. By beating the nationalist drum now, Koizumi may be hoping that he can temporarily neutralize right-wing elements in his party while he searches for a compromise deal that will satisfy both sides (Curtin).
Japanese Modern Perspective:
Japan's former Prime Minister Koizumi, on the other hand has brought some backlash to the Japanese from abroad with visits to controversial grave sites and a new founded nationalist sentiment. This could stir up some problems for Tokyo, since Russia will be less inclined to deal with a more proactive nationalist country. Koizumi's maritime excursion generated media speculation that it might spark a wave of Japanese nationalism, but for most ordinary Japanese the dispute appears to be of little concern. Analysts concerned with the situation have said that Koizumi is very serious about the reunification with the Kuriles. The current Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should provide more interconnected political ties with Russia for many years to come before Russia provides anything coherent enough to be a real solution for Japan. The problem both leaders are causing is an uprising in nationalist sentiment, which tends to increase stalemate diplomacy. Other solutions include one in 2001, while under Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori there were also discussions about returning the Habomai islets and Shikotan Island to Japan in parallel with separate talks on the issue of Kunashiri and Etorofu sovereignty (devillafrance). However, Russia has expressed little interest in any of these initiatives. The position of Japanese government and the significant part of the population has been clearly expressed in the booklet on the problem issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in 1999:
"Japan fervently hopes to provide a firm legal basis for mutual trust between the Japanese and Russian peoples by resolving the territorial issue and concluding a peace treaty and drastically improve relations between the two countries. We believe that the building of neighborly and friendly relations, and promoting cooperation without animosity between Japan and Russia, would not only meet the interests of both nations, but also greatly contribute to ever-lasting peace and stability both in the Asian Pacific region, and, the whole world... We are convinced that the Russian people, if allowed to consider the facts shown in this booklet, along with values based on law and justice would come to the conclusion that returning what Japan calls the Northern Territories--the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and Habomai to Japan is the just and correct course of action. We think it is best that the resolution of the territorial issue should be a mutually agreed-upon decision made by fair judgment based on an accurate understanding of the facts"(Curtin).
This basically states that no treaty shall be formed unless the islands become under Japanese authority. One resident who lives near the Russian-occupied islands observed, "Nowadays, I don't think most people care that much about whether we get these islands back or not."(Curtin)
Solutions:
Many solutions have been proposed that are possible solutions to the territorial dispute. When attacking such issues the best thing to do is figure out what the opposing nation desires and hold it hostage. There are about 4 main solutions to the issue. Three of the solutions will of course be the mainstream solutions, and one will be my own solution.
In 1999 the first solution was presented by Muneo Susuzki at the time a deputy spokesman for the Government of Keizo Obuchi, the Prime Minister, proposed to divide the Kuriles into two groups and negotiate their return to Japanese control in stages (Curtin). Under this proposal Japan would get one fourth of Etorofu island and the remaining islands. They are known as the Southern Kuriles in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan, and they have been under Russian control since Soviet forces seized them in 1945 at the end of the second world war.This solution goes slightly farther than the one Putin offered by allowing access to one more large island in the Kuriles for the Japanese to acquire. Obviously, this Moscow will have trouble grapsing the concept of a large Japanese return rather than a Moscow negotiated return.
The next solution is to take Putins renewing offer of Krushevs Shikotan and the Habomais island return and the close talks completely(Anderson). Looking from both sides of the perspective, this solution provides a more balanced approach that just the immediate return of the islands to Japan. While Japan may be in the right, there will be no incentive in other all or nothing approaches for Russia to give up the islands. This is a key solution that Japanese Prime Minister Abe might look at, considering the lack of options. However, realistically looking at it the Japanese are insistent on denying this option, simply because of their struggle to keep their honor. To many older Japanese officials the taking of the Kuriles was a point of Japan's darkest days. To alleviate these dark days Japan must reestablish itself before the Kuriles were taken. This therefore will probably never be an option for the current administration. However, there is one key point to be made about this solution. The modern Japanese public really doesn't show all that much interest in the Kuriles. To them it is ancient history of another era that is far removed from the present day. To many Japanese they feel disconnected and disinterested on the dispute. Most of the motivation for reunification with the Northern Territories come from older Japanese citizens whom were effected by the devastating effects of WWII and want to move forward as they did long ago. It's also a fact that Russian citizens have occupied that area for almost an entire generation. Many Russians are poor and barely able to survive, removing industry from having stake holds in the islands. Beyond furs, the Kuriles were a strategic prize: a Pacific frontier for Russia, stepping-stones to mainland Asia for Japan. Otters, fur seals, and sea lions, once abundant throughout entire chain, now only exists in small colonies (Cobb 52). When Japanese citizens were polled about their concern about attaining the 4 main islands back, only 15% stated concern. This therefore, brings us to the next point which says that without public support it is going to be very difficult to get support for the transfer of 4 islands. This is a reason why Japan should see it in their interest to maybe cut their losses and vie for the lower two islands Shikotan and the Habomais.
The final solution for Japan is to attain all four main islands from Russia by increasing FDA to Russian Siberian industry and resource growth. Russians can receive several billion in investment in key industries to make up for the loss of the Kuriles. Japanese investments in Russian Far East may increase to such an extent that may stop the current recession of the economy Russian Far East and Siberia and as a result, making those areas much more profitable to Russia (Anderson). Resolving the dispute will significantly decrease military presence at Russo-Japanese frontier which modern Russia can hardly afford. Estimates of Russian military expenditures are in the millions of dollars in missile defense, navy patrols, and stationed troops. Economic logic dictates that it is in Japan's long-term interest to improve ties with Russia by settling the dispute. In fact, the country's future energy needs may one day depend on closer ties with Moscow. The Kremlin recently decided to build a Siberian oil pipeline to the Pacific port of Nakhodka, along a Tokyo-backed route, while Beijing had favored a pipeline to Daqing in northwest China (Anderson). Despite this, Russian finance ministers value the islands at around 1.2 trillion dollars, giving the impression of significantly inflated figures. Russia is not the only one to benefit fiscally from this decision. Business circles of Japan will finally have a "green light" to invest in Russia and gain access to natural resources of Russian Far East and Siberia. That can significantly boost today's troubled Japanese economy. With this result it also helps Japanese with demographic control, military spending, and honor. This proved to be a reasonable method to allow long term Japanese total control over the islands. And thus, not a serious solution to the problem.
Most logical solution:
Taking all of this into account the best solution is to combine Suzuki's solution with the Russian Federation financing by Japanese. Immediate transfer of the Kuriles will cause anti-Japanese sentiment from Moscow. The strategic move for Japan is to gradually redevelop the islands and then retake them. Gradually retaking the islands will make the feeling a large loss to Moscow seem less important if taken in small steps. While achieving this, the Japanese will provide financial support for Russian Siberia industry. On this hand it will allow more Russian involvement in East Asia. On the other hand it will allow for Japan's honor to be restored as the nation it was before its dark days in the mid twentieth century. However, Koizumi's political opponents also take a similarly negative view of his motives for control of the northern territories. Keiko Yamauchi, a former Hokkaido politician comments, "When I was a lawmaker, I was deeply involved with the Northern Territories issue and spent a lot of time listening to the opinions of the people of Nemuro. I learnt that there is no easy solution to this extremely complex problem." (Curtin).
Summary of why Japan should attain control over the Kuriles:
Japan has a relatively short history in their dip of the western ideology starting from Admiral Perry's in 1800's fleet arrival to modern day. When checking whether territory should belong to one country or another, one must look most all the historical content and then the modern need. By looking at the history Japan has previously had Etorofu, Kunashiri, Habomai and Shikotan under the treaty of Shimoda. These were taken by Russia in a technically illegal war since Japan and Russia had a nonaggression pact that had not expired when Russia declared. The Russians have refused signature of the San Francisco peace treaty disabling negotiations on the issue. It seems the Russians have been more avoidant of the rights to this island, most likely because they realize the true owners are indeed Japan. Moving past history we look at economic and demographic need. Russia has immense amounts of space that covers much of Asia and Europe. Japan on the other hand has large population pressures and overcrowding especially in more industrial areas. The Japanese need the territory to expand the populations and develop rural land. The previously held Russian islands are underdeveloped, poor, and ill prepared for natural disasters. The Japanese government has pledged to develop and industrialize the area as well as open new housing to Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and Habomai area to relieve more population pressure from northern Japan. Thus, Japan has significant claims to the island that the economically retarded and spacious Russia does not have.
Conclusion
Overall, strategic diplomacy is a key tool of getting what you want, and this case is no difference. The best solution is to use key diplomacy to allow both parties to benefit. Through past evidence, Japan has always had a territorial right to those islands. Through modern events, Russia has not had much need for the islands except as a securance against Japanese agression and an outdated Coldwar military region.
Works Cited
Anderson, Andrew. "South Kuriles/Northern Territories:A Stumbling-block in
Russia Japan Relations". http://www.cancaps.ca/andersen.html. University of
Victoria. 2001
Cobb E. Charles, Jr. "Storm Watch over the Kurils,"National Geographic(October
1996):48-67
Curtin, Sean, J. "Northern territories dispute still divides Russia and Japan". Glocom
Platform. 2004
deVillafrance, Richard. "Japan and the Northern Territories Dispute-- Past, Present,
Future --," Asian Survey volume XXXIII, no. 6, (June 1993):610-24
Kattoulas, Velisarious. "Split Kuriles in two, says minister". Times online.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article754017.ece. 2006
User Reviews
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2007-09-01 01:22:03 EDT (#)
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swallow my ball bag
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Fuck you, I thought this was going to be about Electric Eel Shock.
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"Police Academy" movies? For fun? Well, I didn't hear anybody laughin',
did you?
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Marge Be Not Proud
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die
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If that really is your work, you seriously need to proofread it before handing it in. It's riddled with mistakes and the first couple of paragraphs read like shit.
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Surely you're contributing to the capitalist system with your Ph.D in Political Science...it's really important for the welfare of the nation.
Looks like I'm just wasting my time with engineering. We need more artsies like you to write essays that won't change a fucking thing. Go die already, and you can brag when you major in something that requires more than a pulse to pass.
That is, assuming you're not an alter.
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STFU
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The NSA only looks professional compared to the CIA, a keystone kops operation if there ever was one. Just ask Steve Jackson.
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Lets see if I can get a solid -2. And BTW thats my disertation intro you requested foolproof
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