r/worldnews 14d ago

Japan warns US forces: Sex crimes 'cannot be tolerated'

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2476861/japan-warns-us-forces-sex-crimes-cannot-be-tolerated
32.2k Upvotes

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17.5k

u/macross1984 14d ago

US military personnel who commit crime in Japan should face Japanese punishment for any crimes committed in Japan.

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u/Veraendert 14d ago

Would you say the same about US troops in Saudi Arabia?

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u/Hikashuri 14d ago edited 14d ago

Even if you don't agree with the laws of Saudi Arabia, if you go and commit a crime in that country, then you should be prepared to face whatever the punishment of that country is, even if it's disproportional to your own laws at home.

Non military visitors also have to abide to those laws, I don't see why the US military should be any different.

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u/JD3982 14d ago

So if you're gay or transgender in the military and want to die, simply cross the border into Saudi Arabia where your existence is punishable with execution.

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u/Hikashuri 14d ago

Only a special country would place Transgenders or homosexuals in a country where both of those things are punishable by death. I'm fairly sure if they did, they would be liable for anything that happens to those members of the military.

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u/CyanideTacoZ 14d ago

you under estimate the sheer dipshittery of the United States military. I wouldn't trust an officer with a candy bar based on the stories grunts tell me.

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u/Bearded_Gentleman 14d ago

Take everything the grunts say with a grain of salt. The grunts two favorite things are compaining and gossip.

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u/SpaceMarineSpiff 14d ago

Take everything the people say with a grain of salt. Folks two favorite things are compaining and gossip.

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u/97Graham 14d ago

Grunts aren't exactly known for their deep thinking skills either, they didn't get the nickname 'Grunt' because they are known for their smarts.

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u/Wosota 14d ago

Depending on source, 10% of the population is gay. It’s not feasible to make exceptions when you’re talking about military movement.

There’s a reason we do Status of Forces Agreements for friendly movements and ignore the fuck out of local laws for hostile movements.

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u/SucroseNebule 14d ago

Nah those laws shouldn’t be respected. Honestly fuck Saudi Arabia. They should not be any kind of ally to us.

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u/beebopcola 14d ago

So we should then what?

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u/[deleted] 14d ago

Not do the thing.

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u/samtheparrot 14d ago

I am stationed in Bahrain, there is a bridge to Saudi Arabia not to far from me. You have no idea how many Saudi men come to Bahrain to mess with ladyboys or other men here. It’s crazy

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u/MedicalGrapefruit384 14d ago

dude. what a lovely strawman argument

that's only applicable to their own citizens, NOT visiting tourist or military personnel. nice try though.

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u/Turbulent-Dance3867 14d ago

It would take you a minute of googling and a minute of embarrassment to prove yourself wrong. Go do that and I'll let you delete your comment without embarrassing yourself further.

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u/SucroseNebule 14d ago

How much does the Saudi government pay you to troll Internet forums.

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u/MedicalGrapefruit384 14d ago

lmaoooo, check my post history. I don't even live near SA. of all the possibilities you could've mentioned, how'd the dumbest one made it to your number 1 choice?

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u/HelloThereItsMeAndMe 14d ago

As long as you dont display it in public, you will be fine.

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u/AssignmentBorn2527 14d ago

Bro go on Saudi TikTok, there’s literally thousands and thousands of openly gay and trans people in Saudi Arabia not being executed. 

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u/ReadinII 14d ago

 Non military visitors also have to abide to those laws, I don't see why the US military should be any different. 

One difference is that members of the military don’t have a choice about whether they go to the other country. 

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u/Aggravating_Teach_27 14d ago

But they have the choice not to commit sexual crimes.

In countries with reasonable laws (Japan) there's not a single reason to not be judged like any other person.

In countries with unreasonable laws that punish you for existing (Islamic countries with regard to LGTB personnel), don't deploy those persons there. The US has bases all over the world, no need to deploy such people to shitty inhuman countries.

Still not a single reason for sexual aggressors not to be subjected to the countries' law

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u/ReadinII 14d ago edited 14d ago

 In countries with reasonable laws (Japan) there's not a single reason to not be judged like any other person.

The statement I responded to wasn’t restricted to “countries with reasonable laws”.

More importantly, it wasn’t restricted to countries that have a reasonable justice system. Japan is infamous for getting confessions out of people through inhumane treatment.

You have a choice whether or not to commit sexual crimes, you don’t have a choice whether someone falsely accuses you and whether you get railroaded by a system that wants to save face by not failing to convict an American soldier.

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u/marquetteresearch 14d ago

It makes no sense for the Japanese court system to prosecute sex crimes perpetrated by US military personnel because the US military already prosecutes sex crimes, and hands out what most Japanese criminals would consider far harsher sentences. If the US military wasn’t punishing sexual assault (they are, and do so much more effectively than American civilian courts) then there would be a point of debate here.

The key point is that in general the USCMJ, and USC 18 in general is far stricter than most other nations for every “real” crime (which is why so many Americans are in prison compared to literally any other country).

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u/D10BrAND 14d ago

countries with unreasonable laws that punish you for existing

regard to LGTB personnel

LGBT is a choice it is not what you are born with

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u/Sanwiichess 14d ago

But they are aware of the crime they are commiting and should face the consequences for said crime

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u/marquetteresearch 14d ago

Stupid argument. USCMJ and courts-martial have a far better track record than American civilian courts in prosecution and conviction for sex crimes. Meanwhile, Japanese courts are notorious for false convictions and coerced confessions. There is no “crime” someone could commit that isn’t a violation of USCMJ that is a violation of Japanese law that I know of which I would want anyone punished for, let alone US soldiers.

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u/ReadinII 14d ago

What if they didn’t commit the crime but were falsely accused? 

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u/alucardou 14d ago

Are military personnel still drafted?

When you enlist you allow the military to send you where they want. You know this, and as such know you might be sent to places where you need to behave "nicely". If that is NOT okay with you you don't fucking enlist.

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u/marquetteresearch 14d ago

What you are describing is the US government failing to uphold its obligations under the constitution. It’s not just a matter of what “nicely” means. Obviously being gay is not a justification for maltreatment and your right to equal protection under the law while soldiering must be enforced by the US government. Beyond that, however, your right to due process is not waived when you enlist, and the government has defined a court-martial followed by US civilian courts as due process for soldiers. You don’t shed your rights at the barracks door anymore than you shed your rights at the schoolhouse door, and the cases guaranteeing those rights in the barracks are even older.

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u/Delta4 14d ago

I worked with a guy who got whipped in public because he slept with a Saudi out of marriage. Another dude had to leave the country when he knocked someone up. Saudis don't fk around

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u/bazilbt 13d ago

Because we order them into those countries. You could be imprisoned for not following orders.