Althouse: Obama snubs the Dalai Lama.

October 5, 2009

Obama snubs the Dalai Lama.

To keep China happy.

95 comments:

Drew W said...: Very sad. Is this as bad as Gerald Ford refusing to meet with Solzhenitsyn? Not as bad? Worse?; 10/5/09, 8:50 PM
Elliott A said...: The foreign policy genius is failing on every front; 10/5/09, 8:52 PM
Unknown said...: Why should the Lama be any different from all the other victims of Communist cutthroats?; 10/5/09, 8:52 PM
daubiere said...: america is now owned by china. of course their bitch in the white house is going to do their bidding. they wont pay for hope and change otherwise.; 10/5/09, 8:52 PM
Peter V. Bella said...: Gutless!; 10/5/09, 8:53 PM
Kevin said...: Hope And Change!; 10/5/09, 8:54 PM
Jason (the commenter) said...: In April 2008, he was joined by Hillary Clinton, then his rival for the Democratic nomination and now his Secretary of State, in calling on George W Bush to boycott the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony in protest at the bloody repression of a popular uprising in Tibet.

Talk about a flip-flop!; 10/5/09, 8:54 PM
Sprezzatura said...: My happiness is a side benefit.

Hopefully the Althouse commenters who think that BHO is an ineffective, overrated blather machine can see the truly profound emptiness of the Dali Lama. This does assume that these commenters have suffered through some of the Dali Lama's presentations (that are packed w/ adoring sycophants).

I have friends who really liked this guy, some even met w/ him in Nepal. But, when I pointed out how overrated he is (e.g. his stupid jokes that receive huge laughs) these folks couldn't mount a defense. They basically came to agree w/ me. I've never seen folks fold that fast.; 10/5/09, 8:55 PM
chickelit said...: I say it's about time I start doing with less from China.; 10/5/09, 8:55 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: MUL will be with us shortly. He's busy right now scraping that "Free Tibet" bumper sticker off his Prius.; 10/5/09, 8:56 PM
Chennaul said...: Maguro-

I think you mean his Yugo.; 10/5/09, 8:59 PM
Jason (the commenter) said...: Shouldn't the title of the post be:

"Obama throws the Dalai Lama under the bus"

?; 10/5/09, 9:00 PM
Jason (the commenter) said...: He can keep Obama's Grandma happy.; 10/5/09, 9:01 PM
paul a'barge said...: All those who voted for ....

oh STFU Paul. Bugger off.; 10/5/09, 9:06 PM
Jason (the commenter) said...: Hey, at least he doesn't earn an "Obama is like Bush" tag for this, because even George W. didn't do something like this.; 10/5/09, 9:06 PM
ricpic said...: Ditto what daubiere said.

There's a great article at americanthinker.com, Did We Elect A Beta Male President?, that goes a long way toward explaining Obama's surrender-in-advance behavior.; 10/5/09, 9:07 PM
Mark O said...: Big hitter, the Lama.

Also the universal symbol of peace.

As Bush said, "This cat doesn't have a clue."

He really doesn't. No, honest.; 10/5/09, 9:10 PM
Anonymous said...: Obama must keep his new masters happy. Beijing says "Jump!" Obama, says "Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, how high?"

wv: lingize - Um, don't go there, Chef... Oh, wtf. Why not?

Ordering "kingsize" at a Shanghai McDonalds.; 10/5/09, 9:11 PM
Irene said...: For a moment, I thought this was another headline from The Onion.; 10/5/09, 9:11 PM
The Drill SGT said...: Europe is sooo used to being good cop to our bad cop.

Obama is doing them one better in appeasing everybody. Good Cop / Nicer Cop :)

I wonder how long it is before some folks that have long objected to US world power wish we were more like the old cowboys we once were before the Won did his appeasement thing...; 10/5/09, 9:12 PM
Darcy said...: Oh, good Lord. I don't believe in the alpha/beta male thing. Or didn't. I think I'm seeing a beta now, finally.

Pathetic.; 10/5/09, 9:14 PM
Chef Mojo said...: Obama must keep his new masters happy. Beijing says "Jump!" Obama, says "Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, how high?"

wv: lingize - Um, don't go there, Chef... Oh, wtf. Why not?

Ordering "kingsize" at a Shanghai McDonalds.; 10/5/09, 9:19 PM
tjl said...: "Althouse commenters who think that BHO is an ineffective, overrated blather machine can see the truly profound emptiness of the Dali Lama. This does assume that these commenters have suffered through some of the Dali Lama's presentations (that are packed w/ adoring sycophants)."

Here we have O's real motive
for snubbing the Dalai Lama. O isn't willing to share any adoring sycophants.; 10/5/09, 9:35 PM
Sprezzatura said...: At first the out pouring of Althouse-conservative love for the Dali Lama was hard to understand.

But, I've cracked to code. Conservatives like him because (from a distance) he's the perfect symbol for tough-talk-ass-kickin'-jabb[er]ing the ChiComs (which is comforting because where the rubber hits the road conservatives' actions probably include furnishing a good chunk of their domestic lives w/ Chicom stuff). And, it goes w/o saying that the lefty loons like him because he is himself loon.

That guy has carved out the sweet spot in geo-politics. Nice gig--if you can get it.; 10/5/09, 9:38 PM
knox said...: I wonder how long it is before some folks that have long objected to US world power wish we were more like the old cowboys we once were ...

Me too. But I have to say, sometimes the petty side of me wants to hang Western Europe out to dry: If they hate us so much, then let them try going it alone.

I really hated that we pulled that missile defense plan in Eastern Europe. It sometimes seems they are the only ones who understand what it means to lose your freedom, and who truly appreciate the "military umbrella" that we provide so much of the world.

Western Europe just bitches about us. I wouldn't mind seeing them have to sacrifice some of their cushy social programs to chip in a little bit toward world peace.

OT: does anyone watch "Modern Family"? Just watched it on hulu tonight. So great. First time I've laughed out loud at a sitcom since Seinfeld.; 10/5/09, 9:39 PM
Sprezzatura said...: out pouring outpouring whateva; 10/5/09, 9:39 PM
Gabriel Hanna said...: @1jpb:
At first the out pouring of Althouse-conservative love for the Dali Lama was hard to understand.

It shouldn't. Anyone who reads National Review knows that lots of conservatives respect the Dalai Lama as a symbol of resistance to Communism, and at the same time think he is a bit nutty.

And he doesn't fall into the neat left/right categories; his disapproval of homosexuality for example.; 10/5/09, 9:47 PM
Anonymous said...: Obama has done more in eight months to disgrace America in the eyes of the world than Bush was ever accused of doing in his eight years.; 10/5/09, 9:54 PM
traditionalguy said...: And what is the name of the Spiritual Leader of Taiwan? If we will sell out Tibet then it's a safe we will also sell out Taiwan, who are after all a bunch of dirty Capitalists. This must be an Onion article for sure, or we have an Onion Presidential plant.; 10/5/09, 9:54 PM
Sprezzatura said...: GH,

"conservatives respect the Dalai Lama as a symbol of resistance to Communism"

I think I covered that, sans the self deluding euphemisms.

BTW, he is a total loon, not just a bit. I'm sure I've suffered through more of him than almost all conservatives. Seriously, if you think BHO is bad, you would be completely floored by this guy's loon level. I have to assume smart folks in the halls of power (on both sides of the political fence) know that this guy is all hype for the masses.; 10/5/09, 9:55 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: So there's this and Honduras and the missile shield...

He just hasn't had occasion to meet a communist he doesn't like, has he?; 10/5/09, 9:59 PM
David said...: Vikings and Farve are beating up on the Packers. What's Obama going to do about that?; 10/5/09, 10:01 PM
chuck b. said...: Oh, I tweeted about this weeks ago. If I had tits and blond hair, I could be Althouse. Minus the commenter pandering. I already drink lots of wine.; 10/5/09, 10:02 PM
gbarto said...: Oh come now. Just as Manifest Destiny gave America license to conquer our land from the Atlantic to the Pacific, surely the Han Chinese, as the dominant culture of East Asia, have the right to conquer any peoples they encounter at least up to the Himalayas and the Pamirs. In refusing to meet with the Dali Lama, President Obama is subtly undermining the idea of American exceptionalism by showing that even that most American of sentiments, might makes right, is in fact a human universal and that the aspirations of the Han Chinese are every bit as worthy as those of our forefathers. For an American president to meet with the Dali Lama would be like the French meeting with Sitting Bull. I, for one, celebrate the president's oblique celebration of America and China's shared idea of Manifest Destiny and the promise it holds for bringing us all closer together.

(God help you if you need to be told, but just in case, this is sarcasm.); 10/5/09, 10:04 PM
David said...: Chuck, you have zits. That rhymes with tits. Now all you have to do is dye the hair.; 10/5/09, 10:04 PM
Sprezzatura said...: FH,

You forget the Chavez book. And that he hates America (so sayith Rush) and he hates Whitie (so sayith Glenn). And, his wife hates Whitie too (so sayith not yet revealed secret video, but it's only been a year, it'll come out any day).; 10/5/09, 10:04 PM
Revenant said...: Very sad. Is this as bad as Gerald Ford refusing to meet with Solzhenitsyn? Not as bad? Worse?

The Dalai Lama is a deposed aristocrat. Solzhenitsyn was a leading Russian dissident. Obama's behavior isn't even remotely as bad as Ford's.; 10/5/09, 10:14 PM
Hector Owen said...: Also, chuck b., you take great photos.

Nice to see Peter V. Bella back here again.

Obama's snub of the Dalai Lama echoes Stalin: "How many divisions does the Pope have?"

wv = plath "What is Sylvia, who is she, and why has she got her head in the gas oven!? Get her out of there."; 10/5/09, 10:18 PM
knox said...: If I had tits and blond hair, I could be Althouse.

chuck b is titus!!!!

J/K; 10/5/09, 10:20 PM
Cedarford said...: 6p00d8341cb58053ef said...
Obama must keep his new masters happy. Beijing says "Jump!" Obama, says "Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, how high?"

Bush II was just as much their bitch.

Obama is just seeing more consequences than post-Nixon Republicans, Carter and Bill Clinton did for destroying US industry and sending it to China under the Mantra of "Free Trade for Freedom Lovers!!" mixed in with lies beginning with Reagan that "The US will keep all the good jobs and consumers will win...and that exciting high tech jobs would replace all the lost jobs.."

Along with stupid jingoism that "The American worker can outproduce anyone in the world!!"

The Ruling Elites of both Parties didn't believe that shit. It was just a way to richly reward their wealthy co-Elitists with huge profit margins from cheapening labor costs.

From Carter and the Trilateralists to Reagan and Bretton Woods II and onwards, none anticipated how fast the forces they unleashed would gut America of good jobs, sell out the worker. Flood in tens of millions of illegals and illegal's spawn now bankrupting & ruining whole states. And put us trillions in debt to a country that pre-Carter, owned two changes of clothers per family and couldn't even make a knockoff Ginsu knife that was any good.

Now we have to defer to CHina on matters, just as we once made Britain and France lick our boots when we were a creditor nation instead of a wastrel. And on matters far more important than a now-irrelevant former leader of a People that lived in squalor. Be happy the People with the Dollars and ability to out-compete us kept it cheap - the over-worshipped Dalai Lama...
(Who is fated to go the way of Hapsburgs in exile, Arab kings in exile, ousted Marxist dictators from Africa living in -30 DEG Moscow while being pronounced "heroes" at Parties of top Soviets - all feted by cultural elites for their lifetime - but knowing their influence and deference would wane with each new year and that they or their children would never again hold office..; 10/5/09, 10:25 PM
save_the_rustbelt said...: At least twice a year Dubya Bush sent the Sec Treas or Sec State over to lick the shoes of the Chinese dictators.

We need them to buy our debt and sell us lead coated toys.

Globalization my ass.; 10/5/09, 10:28 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: 1jpb, I named specific, policy decisions. I take it that they are so utterly indefensible that you felt you could only defend them by lumping them in with random commentator opinions?; 10/5/09, 10:29 PM
garage mahal said...: Vikings and Farve are beating up on the Packers. What's Obama going to do about that?

Send the Packers an offensive line that is at least high school junior varsity caliber?; 10/5/09, 10:38 PM
Cedarford said...: Revenant said...
"Very sad. Is this as bad as Gerald Ford refusing to meet with Solzhenitsyn? Not as bad? Worse?"

The Dalai Lama is a deposed aristocrat. Solzhenitsyn was a leading Russian dissident. Obama's behavior isn't even remotely as bad as Ford's.

Just because someone is a "leading dissident" doesn't make them right or even someone the US should embrace for the sake of expediency. Witness Ahmed Chalabi, "leading Iraqi dissident", the Neocons grew to love and hand on his every word.

In Solzhenitsyn's case, he deeply distrusted Democracy and freedom!!! and more believed in a spiritual, authoritarian leader.

Before he died, he became a huge fan of Vladimir Putin. Who Solzhenitsyn pronounced as the hero who would save Russia from the corruption of Jewish oligarchs, from the false lure of egalitarian democracy, and the decay of spirit and soul that made him hate the West so - in his recent books.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2008/08/05/toward_end_solzhenitsyn_embraced_putins_russia/

Putin gave Solzhenitsyn numerous awards. He in turn pronounced Putin Russia's savior and warned him never to trust the West.

Ford was right to keep William Buckley's pet martyr at arm's length...though there was much gnashing of teeth by "movement conservatives" that their Freedom Lover!!!! hero was so dissed.

Because he was clearly showing signs of being a Czarist-loving whack job...; 10/5/09, 10:40 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Conservatives,

Let's brain storm. Who can we send to meet w/ the Dali Lama to apologize for BHO?

Mark Kirk? No, he's in charge of telling the Chicoms to not trust us. That's not a good fit.

Jim Inhofe? No, he's in charge of making sure the folks in Copenhagen* know that Congress has BHO on a short leash.

Jim DeMint? No, he's in charge of making sure the extra-constitutional removal of a (admittedly bad) leader is not replaced w/ a constitutional process for getting rid of Zelaya.

I'm out of ideas.

Anyone?

FH,

Either what you said, or I was mocking you. Your call, I'm sure you'll figure it out.

wv: facetiousIrony [not really]; 10/5/09, 10:48 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Either what you said, or I was mocking you. Your call, I'm sure you'll figure it out.

Let's hope it's the former since the latter would make no sense. "I mock your list of indisputable things he's done!"; 10/5/09, 10:50 PM
Anonymous said...: Barack Obama minus Dalai Lama equals Bad Karma.; 10/5/09, 10:57 PM
Methadras said...: It's not to keep China happy, it's to keep his ideological comrades happy.; 10/5/09, 11:02 PM
Michael Haz said...: Vikings and Farve are beating up on the Packers. What's Obama going to do about that

Offer to pull the missile defense shield out of Winona.; 10/5/09, 11:07 PM
Anonymous said...: Next week: "Obama snubs David to please Goliath."; 10/5/09, 11:14 PM
Unknown said...: Maguro is, of course, wrong. Those "Free Tibet" stickers you've seen were simply part of a Rethuglican campaign. The true liberals and defenders of liberty have always had a "U.S. Hands off Tibet" sticker or its relative "Free Tibet from U.S. Hegemonical Oppression".

But, seriously, complaints about China mean nothing if you support "free" trade or its supporters.; 10/5/09, 11:23 PM
Chennaul said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/5/09, 11:27 PM
Paul said...: "It's not to keep China happy, it's to keep his ideological comrades happy."

Bingo.

He's a straight up Marxist. Anyone can see it and he has said as much himself when complaining that the Warren Court wasn't radical enough for holding with the Founders positions on negative rights instead of promoting wealth redistribution and "social and economic justice".

The stupid brain dead left will endlessly mock us for calling President God Damn America out for being a commie racist America hating son of a bitch but that is exactly what he is. Using that description as a template everything he does is utterly predictable.; 10/5/09, 11:40 PM
Beth said...: Has not snubbing the Dalai Lama in the past done anything positive for Tibet?; 10/5/09, 11:42 PM
Hector Owen said...: That's a little too terse, Beth. Did you mean "Hasn't snubbing the Dalai Lama …" or "Has avoiding snubbing the Dalai Lama …"

Though the answers to both would be the same. The current Dalai Lama, being a Buddhist and all, is not about to get all Matthew 10:34. ("I come not to bring peace, but a sword.")

China has got Tibet locked down tight. All the bumper-stickers on all the rusty Subarus in all the college towns in America can't change that. That does not obviate the fact that the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of millions. The snub is pure realpolitik at its most callous level.

wv = vinsac The bag that's inside the box of wine. There had to be a word for that!; 10/6/09, 12:15 AM
Peter Hoh said...: It's not like the Obama had to send a letter of apology to the Chinese after one of their fighter jets struck our plane and forced it to land on a Chinese island, is it?

Because that would totally show everyone that Obama was a wimp, right?

I'm looking forward to being told that this was totally different, because the Dali Lama is much more important than 24 US servicepeople. Or something like that.; 10/6/09, 12:18 AM
Fred4Pres said...: Gunga-a-lunga; 10/6/09, 12:28 AM
Steven said...: Peter Hoh —

So, you don't think the safe return of 24 US servicepeople held prisoner and undergoing interrogation is important enough to be worth a mere insincere letter of apology.

But you do think vague, unspecific Chinese dissatisfaction is reason to snub the spiritual and political leader of 5.4 million oppressed people.

Tell me, do you actually think these things through before you post?; 10/6/09, 12:37 AM
Alex said...: Dalai Lama is a fraud:

http://thedalailamaisapoliticalfraud.blogspot.com/

Why do we keep putting this idiot on a pedestal? Screw Tibet!; 10/6/09, 12:49 AM
Alex said...: BTW, it's my nature to shit on everything somebody else thinks is good and holy. I just do that.; 10/6/09, 12:51 AM
Peter Hoh said...: Steven, this little bit of theater re. the Dali Lama is nothing compared to the Hainan Island incident, which, as far as I can tell, was handled about as well as possible under the circumstances.

However, I don't think it's a stretch to say that had the incident happened under Obama's watch, the right wing noise machine would never shut up about how it proved that Obama was weak.

If you think we can achieve our goals by pissing off the Chinese leadership, you are kidding yourself. Keeping China happy has part of president's job description for the past couple of decades.; 10/6/09, 1:04 AM
Methadras said...: Frankly, I think the Llama is a douchebag, but President Barely's capitulation to his ideological comrades only gives credence to saffron robed nose-picking dolt.; 10/6/09, 1:06 AM
Methadras said...: Peter V. Bella said...

Gutless!

You can't have guts when you are an empty-suit and a fraud now can you. I mean, afterall, he's just playing up to his stereotype. He's the golden child, a man descendant from his zebra masters. A guy who once said that if you can't take care of your brothers then you are nothing. And off in the distance you can hear it, like a clarion call to pay heed, the words that can never be uttered but where, "You Lie!" rings off in the distance.; 10/6/09, 1:09 AM
Peter Hoh said...: Yeah, too bad Obama couldn't be more like Sarah Palin. The liberal media totally refused to cover her recent speech in which she offered her unconditional support to the Tibeten people.; 10/6/09, 1:11 AM
Hector Owen said...: peter hoh, the plane involved in the Hainan Island incident was eventually returned to the US and returned to service. That's Bush's diplomacy. In contrast, the USS Pueblo is now a tourist attraction in Pyongyang.

I guess every President since and including Lyndon Johnson has been a wimp. That ship should not be where it is.

============

"The liberal media totally refused to cover her recent speech in which she offered her unconditional support to the Tibeten people"

You mean the speech she delivered in on Sept 23 in Hong Kong? The one in which the only mention of Tibet was in this paragraph?

China, along with Russia, has repeatedly undermined efforts to impose tougher sanctions on Iran for its defiance of the international community in pursuing its nuclear program. The Chinese food and product safety record has raised alarms from East Asia and Europe to the United States. And, domestic incidents of unrest -- from the protests of Uighurs and Tibetans, to Chinese workers throughout the country rightfully make us nervous.

I don't care to see an American politician endeavoring to foment revolution in Tibet. Now, that would be nutty. Leave such things to the Lord Byron or Che Guevara types.; 10/6/09, 1:53 AM
Patm said...: Say this for Bush: he was the first president to meet with the DL at the White House and he gave him the Medal of Freedom. Bush made a point of bringing attention to China's human rights abuses.

But that was before China became our banker. Which I still blame on Soros.; 10/6/09, 1:56 AM
Patm said...: "But, I've cracked to code. Conservatives like him because (from a distance) he's the perfect symbol for tough-talk-ass-kickin'-jabb[er]ing the ChiComs (which is comforting because where the rubber hits the road conservatives' actions probably include furnishing a good chunk of their domestic lives w/ Chicom stuff). And, it goes w/o saying that the lefty loons like him because he is himself loon."

In truth, the lefties don't know a thing about the Dalai Lama. If they did, they would be appalled to learn that he is a celibate (just like the pope), that he is against gay marriage (just like the pope) and finds homosexuality to be "disordered" just like the pope; that he in in some ways more conservative than the pope.

And in truth, the righties don't know anything about the Dalai Lama except that Obama dissed him and that's a bad thing.

In this case, I hate to say it, but Americans are pretty ignorant, and simply using the holy man for their own political pointmaking.; 10/6/09, 2:02 AM
Revenant said...: At first the out pouring of Althouse-conservative love for the Dali Lama was hard to understand. But, I've cracked to code.

The leader of a nation conquered by Communists, and you need to "crack a code" to figure out why conservatives like him?

What was the code? Pig latin? Ommunism-cay is ad-bay?; 10/6/09, 2:08 AM
Steven said...: Peter, "keeping China happy" is not the job of anyone in the U.S. government. Unilateral gestures are an open declaration of both foolishness and weakness in foreign relations (with the minor exceptions of obvious largess from a great power to a weak country, or between friendly permanent allies). They are not a deposit in a bank of gratitude.

I can tell you exactly what Bush got for his apology letter, and I conclude it was a reasonable deal. Tell me what Obama got from the Chinese for snubbing the Dalai Lama, and I'll tell you whether it was a reasonable deal, too.; 10/6/09, 2:46 AM
AllenS said...: The Dali Lama and Michelle Obama both like to go sleeveless. Coincidence? I think not! Barack probably got the word from you know who.; 10/6/09, 4:39 AM
Robert Cook said...: "Obama has done more in eight months to disgrace America in the eyes of the world than Bush was ever accused of doing in his eight years."

Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Oh my fucking god this is one of the sharpest examples of pure idiocy I've heard here lately, (and there's tough competition)! Windbag, you are accurately self-named.

Mind you, I'm no partisan of Obama, not at all, but he is merely an aspirant, still in training, for the Olympic team of appalling Presidents, while Bush won the gold every time out.

As for the other guy here who reviled Obama for being a "marxist," a "god damned marxist" I think he said, you're running neck and neck with Windbag...Obama is, as were his predecessors, the hireling of the monied owners of America, somewhat less overtly brutish and stupid, perhaps somewhat more measured, but he is doing what he was hired to do: making sure those with great wealth continue to accrue greater wealth.; 10/6/09, 5:39 AM
Dad Bones said...: The Dalai Lama once had power and wisdom but it was rooted in the country and people of Tibet. Now he's an uprooted tree that will most likely live the rest of his life as a traveling house plant.; 10/6/09, 6:32 AM
miller said...: I guess I'm just amazed at the mimes of the left. The whole "Free Tibet" movement was a feel-good thing for leftists; now that Teh One™ has abandoned the Dalai Lama for his 30 pieces of silver, the left instantly reverses its course to say how bad the Lama is and how irrelevant Tibet is.; 10/6/09, 7:17 AM
rhhardin said...: There's a llama in Michigan named Dolly.; 10/6/09, 7:21 AM
miller said...: McChrystal says something inconvenient - off with him!

Dalai Lama is an embarrassment to the Chinese - off with him!

Just how big is this bus, anyway?; 10/6/09, 7:25 AM
Meade said...: I'm with Patm on this. And Obama probably has it right.; 10/6/09, 7:28 AM
Anonymous said...: In order for Tibet to be under the bus, the bus must be some 18,000 feet above sea level. Will it still run?; 10/6/09, 9:03 AM
Fred4Pres said...: Gunga-a-lunga.; 10/6/09, 9:09 AM
Peter Hoh said...: Ed Morrissey counters the critics.; 10/6/09, 9:14 AM
Henry said...: Jason (the commenter) wrote: Hey, at least he doesn't earn an "Obama is like Bush" tag for this, because even George W. didn't do something like this.

How about: Obama is like Carter.

New Years Eve, 1977: President Carter toasted the Shah at a state dinner in Tehran, calling him "an island of stability" in the troubled Middle East.

Meanwhile, back to the present: Obama's State Department no longer cares to track Iranian Human Rights abuses.; 10/6/09, 9:22 AM
rosebud said...: Robert Cook:

Mind you, I'm no partisan of Obama, not at all, but he is merely an aspirant, still in training, for the Olympic team of appalling Presidents, while Bush won the gold every time out.

Now if you could have worked "spartina" into that sentence you'd have the trifecta; 10/6/09, 9:31 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Oh my fucking god this is one of the sharpest examples of pure idiocy I've heard here lately, (and there's tough competition)!

I don't know Cookie. I think you pretty much have that category sown up.; 10/6/09, 9:41 AM
Shanna said...: And in truth, the righties don't know anything about the Dalai Lama except that Obama dissed him and that's a bad thing.

I think I saw a movie about him once : ) (in addition to the Free Tibet sticker someone gave me in College).

I am mainly concerned here because a) China always looks like it's going to gobble up the little countries and b) I'm concerned about the motives here and whether this has anything to do with our mounting debt. We don't want to be beholden to China of all people.; 10/6/09, 10:37 AM
Anonymous said...: So I guess all liberals are throwing Tibet under the bus. Oh, that old grumpy Dalai Lama!

I wonder what they will cover their old bumper stickers with?; 10/6/09, 11:01 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: I wonder what they will cover their old bumper stickers with?

Save Darfur

Assuming there are any Darfurians left that is.; 10/6/09, 11:14 AM
Kirby Olson said...: There's an opposition in many of the comments between communism and capitalism.

However, communism is just state-run capitalism.

In Smithian capitalism the role of the state is to make sure that business practices are on the up and up.

In communist capitalism the role of the state is to take over all business practices, so there is no separation watchdog to make sure there is a balance in all the checks. The government is both the sole corporation and the one that silences any watchdogs in communism.

Communism and capitalism are both capitalist, but in the former the government and the corporations are one and the same thing.

The Dalai Lama has never read Adam Smith. If he had he could possibly enlighten Obama, IF Obama would let him talk to him.; 10/6/09, 11:16 AM
Cedarford said...: A fairly common theory on both sides of the political spectrum is that wealthy Elites moved into power after Watergate and have dominated US trade, immigration, economic policy since them....to the detriment of the US worker and the fiscal strength of America. That for 35 years Americans have not really had an effective vote about Free Trade for Freedom Lovers!!, job outsourcing, levels of immigration pushed on us - because it is all directed towards huge wealth gains to the Elites and a global lowering of high wages - masked only by geometrically expanding debt,

Leading to where we are today - an uncompetitive debtor nation with China as the nervous backer of our currency and continuity of government funding.

Part of that "bargain" with the Ruling Elites is that US rulers now have to dive for the phone if Beijing is in the line because Chinese power has also geometrically multiplied along with our debt. Anything that pisses off the moneymen has to be weighed very, very carefully.

In the new big scheme of things, Tibet has to be lowered on the list of priorities, considerably.

Especially considering Tibet's past.
Through most of history, Tibet was a vassal State to China.
The Chinese invasion, cultural eradications of temples, etc in the 50s and early 60s remain a black eye. As does the Han races aggressive, Borg-like spread..which has also been tried and repelled with necessary shedding of Han blood in the Koreas, Vietnam, Indonesia. IN Tibet, unlike the Zionist Settlers in Occupied Palestine...the world has concluded that it is both odious but has brought immense benefit to the People.

The peasantry, the 95% of the population brutally repressed by the Dalai Lama and his aristocracy - has seen a doubling in life expectancy. Gone from illiteracy to mass literacy in two generations, and seen a tripling or quadrupling in their standard of living since the 70s.; 10/6/09, 11:37 AM
Joe said...: I'm in the The Dalai Lama is a complete ass and fraud camp. The notion of supporting him and a Free Tibet is a complete contradiction of terms. Revenant is wrong; the Dalai Lama isn't a deposed aristocrat, he's a deposed dictator. This is NOT a freedom loving man. Moreover, the man is a Chauncy the Gardner idiot. His own belief that he's above it all while having every need catered to by sycophants would make him a very dangerous "leader."; 10/6/09, 12:19 PM
jr565 said...: Who I feel bad for in all of this is Richard Gere. Man, not only was the Dalai Lama dissed, but he was dissed by The One.
His head must be exploding at the same time his heart is breaking.

Sucker.; 10/6/09, 1:05 PM
Joseph said...: I never understood why the Dalai Lama gets as much deference as he does.; 10/6/09, 3:46 PM
Joseph said...: I completely agree with patm.; 10/6/09, 3:50 PM
Joseph said...: And I'd add to patm that at least the Pope is chosen by his peers after a lifetime of accomplishment. The Dalai Lama was a little boy when he was chosen. I don't see any reason he should be given any deference (although he does have the loyalty of millions of Tibetans, deserved or not).; 10/6/09, 3:52 PM
rhhardin said...: Related video, which strikes me as very nice.

The music arrangement sounds modern Chinese though.; 10/6/09, 4:43 PM
jr565 said...: Joe wrote of the Dalai Lama:
His own belief that he's above it all while having every need catered to by sycophants would make him a very dangerous "leader."

And how is this different than any other leader? If you're in a position of power, whether its the head of a state or the head of a company you have your needs catered to and are surrounded by sycophants trying to get your ear.; 10/6/09, 7:35 PM
Gary Rosen said...: C-fudd, apparently now a slave to the Joooish-Bolshevik conspiracy, writes:

"IN Tibet, unlike the Zionist Settlers in Occupied Palestine...the world has concluded that it is both odious but has brought immense benefit to the People.

The peasantry, the 95% of the population brutally repressed by the Dalai Lama and his aristocracy - has seen a doubling in life expectancy. Gone from illiteracy to mass literacy in two generations, and seen a tripling or quadrupling in their standard of living since the 70s."

Have you ever compared the life expectancy of Palestinians pre-1967 to today? Or their literacy and infant mortality rates? Or compared them to the rest of the Islamic world - say Iran?

By the way, Fudd, how long are you going to keep lying about your age? You pretend to be a generation X'er, or even Y'er (my money's on XXY) but in reality you are an aging boomer.; 10/7/09, 2:57 AM