Third World War by The Third World War

Author:The Third World War
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2013-11-17T11:50:00.813917+00:00

'What would you do if you were Jamie Song?' prodded West.

Sato laughed softly, glanced at West and then concentrated back on the window. 'A statesman has to decide who he is. Is he a statesman? Does he protect the interests of his state? Is he a philanthropist? Does he hand out largesse to societies less fortunate than his without asking for anything in return? Is he a humanitarian? Does he cast a searchlight around the world and find societies that need saving from their own stupidity or lack of luck? In order to recover from the loathing showered upon us, Japan has been both philanthropic and humanitarian. But I believe, Mr President, we should accept that all of us ultimately are simply statesmen. Therefore the bedrock of our interest is what is best for our nation, and,' he added with a quick smile, 'our own reputations.'

'I'm not sure you have completely answered my question,' said West.

Sato returned to the sofa and leant on the arm, bringing himself closer to the President. 'Yes, of course. You want me to read the mind of Jamie Song. If I were him, I would do everything to drive a wedge between the US and Japan,' he said, pointing his finger back and forth between the two of them. 'If he breaks that, he breaks everything that has underpinned our success since the Second World War. Also, if I were Jamie Song, I would calculate exactly when the conditions would be right for China to make the move to be the top dog in Asia. Is it now, when India is weakened by Pakistan, and Japan and the United States are threatened by North Korea? Or should China wait another fifty years, when he is long dead and the next opportunity arises?' He shrugged. 'Would I, if I were Jamie Song, make a move now? Of that I am not sure, as I suspect he is not sure.'

'And what would you do as Prime Minister of Japan?' nudged West.

'A good statesman will take any opportunity to make his nation great. I am an elderly man now, Mr President, and I know my people. I sense perhaps they feel that they cannot rid themselves of the legacy of the bad war of the last century without fighting a good one. There is an idea among us that we have to become a complete nation once again and put the spectre of our brutal past behind us.'

'By fighting another war?' asked West sceptically.

'Our economic success didn't do the job,' Sato answered with a regretful smile.

'And in order to stop that, I have to go to war with North Korea?' said West, his voice hardening.

'And take us as your ally. Yes. But China will never allow it.' Sato shook his head and clasped his hands together. 'I cannot tell you how to run your foreign policy,' he said. 'I am only telling you the pressures on me.'

'I'm not sure exactly what you are implying, Prime Minister,' said West, holding Sato's gaze.

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