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What is it with this incessant fascination of yours with advocating such 'piddly' cities, david (i.e. Baku, Edmonton, Hiroshima, etc, etc. :rolleyes: ). Simply because a city COULD host a "simple" Games doesn't mean it's actually feasible or that the IOC is even remotely interested in such. The IOC, as we all know all too well, loves things grandiose nowadays.

And the old "symbolic" gesture of the atomic bomb anniversary is another outdated vision that the IOC wouldn't be interested in the least. The IOC wants to look to the future (i.e. Beijing, Sochi, Rio), not dwell on the past. Hiroshima would indeed be a waste of time & money considering the likely competition for 2020; see Leipzig 2012.

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Before Hiroshima should host, Honolulu should host, if you want to commemorate a bunch of negative crap. Just because Japan got stopped in it's tracks by the US, don't forget their original destructive and evil intentions. They were dishonorable in their acts that brought about the bombings, and there is no reason to gloss over their disgraceful past with an Olympic award.

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Before Hiroshima should host, Honolulu should host, if you want to commemorate a bunch of negative crap. Just because Japan got stopped in it's tracks by the US, don't forget their original destructive and evil intentions. They were dishonorable in their acts that brought about the bombings, and there is no reason to gloss over their disgraceful past with an Olympic award.

Good point. Altho of course, they've already been awarded THREE Olympics since the war ended. Plus,of course, like the Central Powers in WWI and Japan's Axis allies in WW2, these 'aggressor' nations were already penalized by the IOC by being excluded from a couple of Games after the respective wars.

Nevertheless, here is my 21st century ceremonial lighting scenario for the 'aggressor' nation of Japan, if awarded another Summer Games: the flame will depart from Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, head for Japan. It will accidentally spill over the Japanese countryside at which point, "Godzilla will awaken from its cave" near Disneyland-Tokyo, then trudge its way to Olympic stadium (whether it be Tokyo or Hiroshima), and then unleash his 'breath' onto the cauldron.

The Emperor and royal family will bow, smile and approve.

At Closing, Mothra will fly the flame away to the next host city!!

Ha!! Take that, David Atkins!! :lol:

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What is it with this incessant fascination of yours with advocating such 'piddly' cities, david (i.e. Baku, Edmonton, Hiroshima, etc, etc. :rolleyes: ). Simply because a city COULD host a "simple" Games doesn't mean it's actually feasible or that the IOC is even remotely interested in such. The IOC, as we all know all too well, loves things grandiose nowadays.

And the old "symbolic" gesture of the atomic bomb anniversary is another outdated vision that the IOC wouldn't be interested in the least. The IOC wants to look to the future (i.e. Beijing, Sochi, Rio), not dwell on the past. Hiroshima would indeed be a waste of time & money considering the likely competition for 2020; see Leipzig 2012.

Fine then, go to your mega cities building needless projects and incurring loads of debt post Olympics. As for Baku, however, it IS a look to the future.

Leipzig wasn't entirely a waste of time and money, clearly the Germans hoped that a Games in Eastern Germany would help close the economical gap between the East and West that was created when the Berlin Wall fell.

You can always have the look to the future, but on occasion it's nice to go back to something small and simple.

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Before Hiroshima should host, Honolulu should host, if you want to commemorate a bunch of negative crap. Just because Japan got stopped in it's tracks by the US, don't forget their original destructive and evil intentions. They were dishonorable in their acts that brought about the bombings, and there is no reason to gloss over their disgraceful past with an Olympic award.

Mind you, it was the Americans who consciously developed the atomic bomb and decided to drop it on civilian targets (i.e cities). Regardless of the shady Japanese past (which of course they have forgiven for and changed), the Americans were the ones that dropped the bomb, even though there were alternatives (ok so they wanted to avoid the planned invasion of Japan due to likelihood of massive losses) fine, they could have dropped a warning atomic bomb at an actual military target with minimal loss of innocent life, or could have simply isolated and blockaded Japan to surrender.

Either way, it would be an Olympics commemorating peace and emphasizing how destructive atomic bombs really are.

Every major power has it's shady times, even the US.

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Mind you, it was the Americans who consciously developed the atomic bomb and decided to drop it on civilian targets (i.e cities). Regardless of the shady Japanese past (which of course they have forgiven for and changed), the Americans were the ones that dropped the bomb, even though there were alternatives (ok so they wanted to avoid the planned invasion of Japan due to likelihood of massive losses) fine, they could have dropped a warning atomic bomb at an actual military target with minimal loss of innocent life, or could have simply isolated and blockaded Japan to surrender.

Uhmmmmm...don't you think the US studied which cities would be the first targets? :rolleyes:

Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as I understand it, were picked because there were some vital components of Japan's military-industrial complex there PLUS there were no POW camps in those cities. Do you really think any power worth its salt would be stupid enough to bomb a city where their own soldiers are being held prisoner? :rolleyes:

The point is: Japan made the pre-emptive strike. They should've been ready for any retaliation.

As I tell my vegetarian friends when the topic of eating other animals come up: better me eating them than the other way around. B)

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But they dropped the bombs knowing that they would harm innocent civilians, surely there would have been alternatives, but they chose to do it. They're to blame.

Japan was merely misguided and has since learned from it's errors, therefore a Hiroshima Olympics would reinforce the fact that Japan has changed and promote peace to the world in a much greater capacity than any other city would.

So ok, this argument would probably be much simpler if the ideal main target Tokyo, was the one that had the atomic bomb dropped on it. :P

Vegetarian friends? You should say what Anthony Bourdain would probably say, God put many creatures on this Earth. It's our task as humans to eat as much and as many different animals as we can.

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Japan was merely misguided and has since learned from it's errors, therefore a Hiroshima Olympics would reinforce the fact that Japan has changed and promote peace to the world in a much greater capacity than any other city would.

Well, it's not like they had an Olympics less than 20 years after the war to prove this is it? Oh, wait.

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Without American military strength, and enduring efforts to promote freedom and peace, where would the world be now? Had we shown weakness our country would probably not exist now, which likely would please some of you. God knows what Europe would be, certainly not free and independent. Unfortunately now evil regimes have learned they will loose in a fist to fist fight with the US, so they have infiltrated free and capitalist societies, and particularly in Europe and the US they are using our systems against us. This is why it's so frustrating to hear some from the free world bitching about the US, this is playing into the hands of those that will destroy you at the first viable opportunity. Our court systems and laws are being used against us, it's more and more difficult to defend against infiltration and attack, and our "friends" show weakness in resolve with little support at the slightest crossroads to enduring freedom. For the record, we believe in freedom and independent rights of all nations, and we will continue to fight for our freedom, and all nations that want freedom and fairness for the world. We will make mistakes, we will continue to learn, and we will continue to lead. We are young, we are successful, we are proud, and we care about the world. We will endure the criticism, and continue to help those who criticize us when they are in need, we are forgiving and we believe in the future.

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But they dropped the bombs knowing that they would harm innocent civilians, surely there would have been alternatives, but they chose to do it. They're to blame.

Oh? Did you also conveniently forget that on that fateful Dec 7, they ALSO hit Manila, Singapore, Taiwan...with several thousand civilian casualties as well? And if Oz had been a little closer, I am sure they would've attacked Melbourne and Canberra!

Funny, how you say nothing about Nazi Germany developing those V bombs which if time had been on their side would've smashed London to pieces.

So ok, this argument would probably be much simpler if the ideal main target Tokyo, was the one that had the atomic bomb dropped on it. :P

Yeah, I was about to say. Could've been just as easy to wipe out the royal family and Tojo's headquarters...NO MORE war criminals to try afterwards.

Japan was merely misguided and has since learned from it's errors,

Merely misguided? Yeah, like the wiring in your brain. Yeah, Fat Boy and Little Man were misguidedly sent to the smaller cities of H&N rather than to Tokyo and Osaka.

"Japan, learned from its errors?" Funny, how they have NEVER FORMALLY apologized for their role in the war. They have never repaid the hundreds of surviving women they used as "comfort women" who still bear the physical and psychological scars inflicted on them.

therefore a Hiroshima Olympics would reinforce the fact that Japan has changed and promote peace to the world in a much greater capacity than any other city would.

What a stupid and silly argument. The Olympics don't need WW2 to promote peace. They were an excuse in themselves for peace over 2,000 years ago. It's an implied motivation for any city awarded the Games. And once again, you forget that it was the actions of Austro-Hungary, Germany, Italy and the Japanese empires which caused the INTERRUPTIONS in the Modern Era Olympic calendar--NOT the USA or the UK!! So stop this cretinous bullsh*t about America being to blame and exonerating perfidous Japan for its instigator role in a global conflict that resulted in more than 20 million casualties.

You know, LD, I would say... do NOT apply for any sort of International Studies. U suck at it. <_<

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Fine then, go to your mega cities building needless projects and incurring loads of debt post Olympics. As for Baku, however, it IS a look to the future.

Leipzig wasn't entirely a waste of time and money, clearly the Germans hoped that a Games in Eastern Germany would help close the economical gap between the East and West that was created when the Berlin Wall fell.

You can always have the look to the future, but on occasion it's nice to go back to something small and simple.

Hey, I'm not the one who is picking the "mega cities building needless projects & incurring loads of post Olympic debt". It's the IOC! So don't flame the messenger. And while Baku may be a look to the future, it's not nearly as geopolitically attractive as Beijing was or as Sochi & Rio are for the next 2 Olympics. There's nothing tangible in Baku (like a totally new continent, like Rio is or South Africa would be, nor is it the capital of a country that's home to 1/5 of the worlds population). I don't know Y you constantly fail to C the major difference in that. Think outside the box & not simply base it on your own personal, nostalgic preferences.

As for Leipzig, considering the bid went down in flames B4 the 2012 candidature process officially got under way, it was a waste of time & money. Germany also should have thought outside the box instead of basing their choice on internal politics & failing to realize the true field of competition the 2012 Games were going to have. And it's not just Leipzig, see also Seville, Lille, Birmingham & Manchester. The IOC is not interested at the monment in going back to "small & simple". The only time they do that is when they're forced to (i.e. Los Angeles 1984). And as long as there are big cities willing to give the IOC what they want, smaller cities like Hiroshima, Minneapolis, Leipzig, etc (with their 'small & simple' plans), R up sh!t's creek without a paddle.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So does anyone think that Japan will now DEFINITELY abandon any 2020 Olympic bid plans with the IOC application deadline less than 6 months away. I think Japan will have much more pressing issues at the moment following this massive quake & all it's aftershocks, than worrying about the Olympics.

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So does anyone think that Japan will now DEFINITELY abandon any 2020 Olympic bid plans with the IOC application deadline less than 6 months away. I think Japan will have much more pressing issues at the moment following this massive quake & all it's aftershocks, than worrying about the Olympics.

I would think so. Not unless they put Sendai forward and overlay Olympic 'renewal' plans over its rebuilding plans? Remember Rome and Italy bailed out in 1908 just due to the Mt. Vesuvius eruption!!

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Although it is not a priority on the minds of the Japanese at the moment, and it is probably too soon to assess the total damage and cost (although MASSIVE is the obvious word), I think it is safe to assume that with the deadline for applications coming in the Fall, an Olympic bid from Japan will probably not be on the table.

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Although it is not a priority on the minds of the Japanese at the moment, and it is probably too soon to assess the total damage and cost (although MASSIVE is the obvious word), I think it is safe to assume that with the deadline for applications coming in the Fall, an Olympic bid from Japan will probably not be on the table.

Tokyo seemed to me to give the IOC an extra option. If Africa wasn't deemed ready and Europe was deemed to be too soon, Tokyo would have been perfect and nice and uncontroversial.

With a Japanese bid looking unlikely at best, if Africa isn't ready and Europe is deemed too soon, the alternative "third way" will probably be a middle-Eastern host. Unless Istanbul really pulls the stops out, that will be a controversial option.

Obviously this pales into insignificance and matters not a jot against what's happening in Japan, but I think the IOC would have rather liked that extra, safe, uncontroversial option in the 2020 race.

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Tokyo seemed to me to give the IOC an extra option. If Africa wasn't deemed ready and Europe was deemed to be too soon, Tokyo would have been perfect and nice and uncontroversial.

With a Japanese bid looking unlikely at best, if Africa isn't ready and Europe is deemed too soon, the alternative "third way" will probably be a middle-Eastern host. Unless Istanbul really pulls the stops out, that will be a controversial option.

Obviously this pales into insignificance and matters not a jot against what's happening in Japan, but I think the IOC would have rather liked that extra, safe, uncontroversial option in the 2020 race.

There's always the City of the Queen of the Angels, yaknow. ;)

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Tokyo seemed to me to give the IOC an extra option. If Africa wasn't deemed ready and Europe was deemed to be too soon, Tokyo would have been perfect and nice and uncontroversial.

With a Japanese bid looking unlikely at best, if Africa isn't ready and Europe is deemed too soon, the alternative "third way" will probably be a middle-Eastern host. Unless Istanbul really pulls the stops out, that will be a controversial option.

Obviously this pales into insignificance and matters not a jot against what's happening in Japan, but I think the IOC would have rather liked that extra, safe, uncontroversial option in the 2020 race.

Maybe Canada unless it too is considered too soon.

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Tokyo seemed to me to give the IOC an extra option. If Africa wasn't deemed ready and Europe was deemed to be too soon, Tokyo would have been perfect and nice and uncontroversial.

With a Japanese bid looking unlikely at best, if Africa isn't ready and Europe is deemed too soon, the alternative "third way" will probably be a middle-Eastern host. Unless Istanbul really pulls the stops out, that will be a controversial option.

1) I don't think a European bid is ever deemed "too soon".

2) A Japan 2020 bid would have been unlikely to be a favorite, as a Japan victory in 2020 would put an Africa Games out to 2028 at the earliest (We can't have Rio 16, Japan 20, Africa 24 - that would mean Europe has to wait 4 cycles for it's games - not going to happen).

3) On what grounds do you think that the Middle-East can be more ready than Africa for 2020? Seems highly, highly improbable to me that Istanbul, Dubai or Doha can be considered more ready than Durban in 2013 when the vote happens.

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Pescante: Japan may have to give up their 2020 Olympic dream

TAMPA/ROME, Mar 21: IOC vice president Mario Pescante stated during a broadcast on Gr Parlamento radio yesterday that the latest earthquake and tsunami devastation in Japan might have also destroyed their plan to enter the 2020 bid race for the summer Olympics. Pescante is also the head of the Rome 2020 bid for the Eternal City.

He spoke about the sad news:

“Yesterday the Japanese Ambassador was with me at the start of the Rome marathon and he told me with great regret that his country wouldn’t enter Tokyo,” Pescante said.

“At this time there is only a spirit of solidarity for Tokyo. If we had been beaten by Tokyo we might have even had reason to be relieved.”

Rome bid for the 2004 Games along with Cape Town, Stockholm, and Buenos Aires but eventually all lost to Athens, Greece.

Pescante also spoke of the threat of the upcoming South African bid to enter the 2020 summer Games race by comparing the Chicago bid against Rio de Janeiro. Rio represented South America and touched a chord with developing nations attracting their votes.

He said, “The candidature of South Africa is going forward, as I have always said, even with three cities in consideration, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Johannesburg. There will only be one bid, but there is great determination on behalf of South Africa. Rio won with the support of emerging countries that came forward and took precedence. We will get to the end of this experience with our shirts drenched in sweat, but we will get there.”

Istanbul, Madrid, Paris and Casablanca could also be potential cities to enter the 2020 summer Games bid race.

Pescante added, “Turkey is a strong country and Istanbul is a formidable candidature. I just heard the news that Casablanca is looking to throw their hat in the ring for the 2020 Games.”

...

http://www.sportsfeatures.com/olympicsnews/story/48330/pescante-japan-may-have-to-give-up-their-2020-olympic-dream

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Guess that Wikipedia entry about the 2020 Olympic Games is going to get a bit of a makeover. Anyway, according to the World Bank, Japan is going to need about 5 years, in order to clean up all the mess and rebuild critical infrastructure in the stricken areas of the northeast.

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Japan says it still considering bid for 2020 Olympics despite quake, tsunami disasters

By Associated Press, Wednesday, March 23, 7:41 AM

LONDON — Japan is still considering a bid to host the 2020 Olympics despite the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the country.

The Japanese Olympic Committee tells The Associated Press it is “surprised” at recent comments made by Italian IOC member Mario Pescante, who says he was told by Japan’s ambassador in Rome that Japan decided not to pursue a bid.

Yasuhiro Nakamori, the JOC’s international relations director, says Wednesday “we have not changed our policy.”

He says the committee will hold a strategy meeting next Tuesday and make a final decision on whether to bid in July.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/japan-says-it-still-considering-bid-for-2020-olympics-despite-quake-tsunami-disasters/2011/03/23/AB57S4HB_story.html

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