Regarding Ralph Cossa's Aug. 3 article, "Pushing Seoul-Tokyo Forward": Cossa finally reveals his fundamental political inclinations. In the context of the South Korea-Japan military relationship, Cossa quotes the reply of an unnamed former U.S. president who was asked if he knew what the American people really thought about an issue: "I know what they damn well ought to think about it." Cossa calls this leadership.
That is not leadership. It is closed-minded and authoritarian thinking that can lead to dictatorship. Is that what Cossa really wants for South Korea or Japan?
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.
mark j. valencia