[JERRY2KONE]

Everyone has a right to stated their views no matter what they might be. Your views are fine. Japan ranks #3 in the worlds economy making it a superpower. The only thing that makes people think it is not is the size of the Island of Japan. It is a small country, but there are an awful lot of people living there. We need to help Japan for many reasons. They are one of our major alies for one. They afford us the ability to have a large military force in Asia, which helps us protect the Asian community as a whole, but also allows us to have eyes far off our west coast shores for our own protection. We gain some benefits by having such a close relationship with them. Plus in this point in time they have become a great people who deserve our respect and support for whatever may arrise in the way of trouble.

I am also with you in that I think we get overly involved in everybody elses business, and should spend more money, more time, and more attention to our own problems so we can rebuild our countries reputation as the number one superpower. We are losing ground to China every year, and soon we will be #2 or even lower if things do not change for the better. Superpower to me means nothing more than being able to do more, and having more resources than any other country on the globe, and using these benefits to help others in need. We have been known for a very long time as the number on economy, but we are also losing ground there as well. I think it is because we import and export in an unequal balance, and that needs to change. We bring much more into the USA than we send out. That can not go on for ever. It is like filling a pool with a garden hose, while draining it with a firehose. It will soon be empty no matter how wide you open the valve.

My final note is that we need to get more involved in helping Japan fix this nuclear problem, because we have the knowledge from past experiences that will prove invaluable to any kind of resolve in this situation.