skipping the opening ceremony

[low_delta]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/13/us.olympics.ap/index.html

Bush's national security adviser said it would be a "cop-out" for countries to skip the opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics as a way of protesting China's crackdown in Tibet. He's right. If you want to protest, you shouldn't be going at all.

Oh, but that's not what he meant. He meant that "quiet diplomacy" like the U.S. is practicing is a better way to send a message to China's leaders rather than "frontal confrontation."

Um... what? No confrontations. Like, don't do that. You'll just make them angry. Just send them a letter with the White House letterhead, saying you disapprove of their actions. You might have to do it more than once, though. Like not showing up for the ceremony is confronting them. Ooh, big conflict. Seems to me that refraining from sending athletes to the country would be particularly non-confrontational.

Comments

Tibet is the wrong issue for China and the Olympics

[(Anonymous)]

I am afraid that “Human Rights” and various special interest groups have picked a wrong target to pressure China.
First and foremost, it is the Chinese Government who freed absolute majority of Tibetans from the barbaric slavery rules of the Dalai Lama and his associates.
Secondly, the Dalai Lama represents everything that is opposite to “Democracy”. He was a dictator the last time when he was in Tibet. And he has continued to keep both governmental and religious authorities of those Tibetans in exile.
For sure, there are many issues waiting to be tackled in China. But, Tibet seems to be the wrong one. The West (CIA) lured the Dalai Lama into rebellion against the Chinese Government in 1959, and is now asking the Chinese government to take him back (aka, negotiating with Dalai Lama). Why would anyone expect the Chinese government to do just that?

Given the seemingly extreme moves (on Tibet topics) by the Germen and French politicians, I suspect that they want to stir up the heat and lure the US and China into further confrontation. That is how Hillary Clinton got Obama and McCain to follow her on call for President Bush to boycott the Olympics. And evidently, the Bush administration is not following the suit of Germen and French.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

That's an amusing take on things. Do you get your news and history from The Onion?

I get my learning of Tibet from scholars and historians.

[(Anonymous)]

Definitely not from the media, politicians, nor special interest groups (including the Dalai Lama and his followers).

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Unpublished sources? How convenient for you.

Hadley's Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Please refresh my memory...when has American style diplomacy ever been effective with Asian regimes?

[mummm.livejournal.com]

At least Bush hasn't declared war on them... *L*

[roadskoller.livejournal.com]

Yep. I want to run away, put my fingers in my ears and sing, "LALALALALALALALALALALALA".
This will surely show a united front in ostrichism.

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

Just send them a letter with the White House letterhead, saying you disapprove of their actions.

china takes letters like that very seriously, because it is anxious to please.