Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[brightness]

Not to mention that back in 1941, Americans were thought of as inward-looking isolationists, and Japanese thought Americans would just pack up and go home like the Tsarist Russians did in 1905 after getting a bloody nose. The global empire that we have been running for the past fifty years can put to rest any doubts regarding American activism; the 9/11 aftermath in Afghanistan should obviate any illusion even the bin Larden loonies might have had after the Somolia debacle.

The real issue with North Korea is whether Japan will grow some balls and arm itself, with nukes. It's not like the North Koreans can use the nukes to establish any kind of local hegemony; their other neighbors, the Russians and Chinese are quite well armed.