SOP’s Liz Benjamin reported that newly-minted Rep. Bob Turner is keeping up his critique of the Obama administration’s foreign policy, moving from Israel (a major issue in the NY-9 special election, thanks to Ed Koch) to Japan.
The Queens Republican released the following statement in response to a WikiLeaks-released 2009 State Department document allegedly showing (italics mine) Obama wanted to travel to Hiroshima to apologize for America’s use of nuclear weapons on two Japanese cities during WWII, but was rebuffed:

“President Obama needs to address in granular detail whether such an overture was made.”
“If this is true, it shows in our President an alarming lack of historical understanding and an extraordinary disregard for the moral courage of former President, Harry S. Truman, who made one of the most difficult calls in history to save American lives.”
“Those two weapons ended the war and probably saved in excess of 100,000 American lives. If this report is true, President Obama indeed owes an apology, but to the citizens of this nation, especially those who experienced that terrible war. The American public needs detailed answers on this.”

The White House states there was never any plan for the president to apologize during his trip to Japan, although he did touch on the issue of atomic weapons during a speech he made there.
In my view, Rep. Bob Turner obviously has no understanding of the Japanese people or the anti-nuclear weapons movement there. The Japanese VFM couched his remarks on sentiment prevalent in the movement and among the Japanese Left. The VFM was seeking to dampen any expectations of a Hiroshima visit and any reflection on the A-bomb. Japanese imperialist aggression is still a taboo subject since it incited the carnage in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
I think Congressman Turner owes President Obama an apology. Rep. Turner has used up his quota of lies against this President. He should get to the bi-partisan business of helping to repair our economy.
Does Rep. Turner owe President Obama an apology? Have your your say! Leave a comment.
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