As the United States military presence pivots towards the Pacific, the relations with its allies especially Japan, have never been more important.
Too bad one of the largest military installations on the island of Okinawa is so unpopular with residents that protests are calling for the stoppage of any new bases there and the closure of others. 70 years after World War II, the relationship between Okinawa and the stationed military personnel have been riddled with instances abuses, crashes, and accidents. The bases are making the U.S. incredibly unpopular there, and it is only one of several bases like it.
The U.S. has far and away the most bases of any country in the world, with more than 600 foreign military bases. All of these have a unique relationship with the surrounding countries, its people, and its role in the geopolitical theater.
But what happens when the bases are so unpopular they cause tensions within the country and the political sphere?
Guest:
David Vine, author of "Base Nation: How U.S. Bases Abroad Harm America And The World"