<So let me see if I get this right. Because a nation once had a militaristic path, and America fought them in a war, we need to *control* them forever?>
No, no, no.
Your worldview puts all people and all nations into two groups: Slaves and Masters. Those who hold the whips, and those who submit in fear. My worldview is, that we are headed for collective suicide (the nihilist goal), unless we abolish both Slaves and Masters. Germany does not need to be under our control (Slave status), and, at the same time, does not need to re-militarize and start bullying the neighbors (Master status).
Germans and Japanese (and the other 200+ nations on earth) need to be left alone, without anyone controlling them, and without trying to control any other nation. A more peaceful world can only happen, if we all start respecting each other's sovereignty. That means stopping all the wars of aggression, "preventive" wars, wars to defend our commercial interests overseas (like overthrowing any government, elected or not, that nationalizes U.S. assets abroad), wars for our vaguely defined "national interest".
The main reason why Japan and Germany may remilitarize, is our bad example. We are doing, what we taught them not to do, and so they are in danger of forgetting the lessons of the 20th Century. The world will not be a better place, if Japan and Germany and China and India, and then Nigeria and Brazil, and then everyone including your next-door neighbor, all have nuclear weapons, a Global Reach military, and a doctrine of preventive war (=First Strike = wars of aggression). Germany should copy the good example of the Swiss, not the bad American example. |
