Clinton Praises, Admonishes U.S. Troops

President Clinton told U.S. troops Saturday that they “need to be good neighbors” to the people of Okinawa, who are weary of the massive American military presence on this Japanese island and angry about instances of unruly conduct and crime.

“Each of us has a personal obligation to do everything that we can to strengthen our friendship and to do nothing to harm it,” Clinton instructed thousands of Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen who waited past 11 p.m. to see the president speak at a grassy field alongside a row of barracks.

Clinton came to the base with his daughter, Chelsea, after a banquet at the summit of industrialized powers.

The president combined his gently worded admonishment with a heavy dose of praise for the military’s sacrifices and community service. His message was well received.

“It was real uplifting,” said Marine Lance Cpl. Mike Farrow, 18, of Orlando, Fla. “We haven’t had much to smile about around here lately. But now there are smiles on a lot of people’s faces.”

Marine Cpl. Ramiro Barrera, 22, of Brownsville, Texas, said, “A lot of people will take notice about being good neighbors because this is the commander in chief.”

Clinton had been scheduled to address the troops today just before leaving Okinawa, but he moved up his appearance so that he could depart a little earlier to rejoin the Mideast peace talks at Camp David, Md.

His visit came amid new tensions over a 19-year-old Marine who was arrested early this month for allegedly entering a private home, crawling into a 14-year-old girl’s bed and fondling her in her sleep. Tens of thousands of Japanese demonstrators formed a human chain around Kadena Air Base on Thursday, the eve of Clinton’s arrival, to demand a reduction of bases and U.S. service personnel.

Okinawa, the 90-mile-long island famed as the site of the last major land battle of World War II, is home to 26,000 of the more than 40,000 U.S. forces stationed throughout Japan. The United States established its presence here after the war, using Okinawa’s bases as firewall against trouble in Asia.

While U.S. forces help keep the peace, the misbehavior of some troops has spawned waves of anti-American resentment. Five years ago, tens of thousands of Okinawans marched in outrage over the rape of a 12-year-old girl by three U.S. servicemen. As a result, the United States pledged to reduce its footprint on the island.

Clinton, in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, expressed regret about misconduct by American forces, a U.S. official said. A Japanese official construed Clinton’s remarks as an apology for the incident early this month. The Japanese spokesman quoted Clinton as telling Mori, “Most of the troops have been good neighbors, but the incident hurt me in the heart.”