Bush Backs Tibetans Without Trump Card
- Filed under: Boycott News, Tibet, U.S. Response
- Date: Mar 27,2008
By BARRY SCHWEID
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush is using the prestige of his office on behalf of Tibetan protesters, but his direct appeal to Chinese President Hu Jintao lacks a trump card.
Through a White House spokeswoman last week, Bush made plain he would attend the Olympic Games in August in Beijing, the crackdown on Tibetan protesters aside.
Bush considers the games to be about athletics and not necessarily politics, spokeswoman Dana Perino said. For the Chinese, anxious to avert a public relations disaster, the statement undoubtedly was received with relief.
In the meantime, leaders of France and Belgium have warned they might boycott the opening ceremonies in Beijing to protest the way the Chinese are dealing with Tibetan protesters. But Bush hasn’t got that hole card to play unless the crackdown intensifies dramatically and gives him a credible reason to change his plans.
The Chinese already have suffered embarrassment over their treatment of Tibetan protesters in Tibet and western China. They look to hosting the Olympics as an enormous boost to their prestige.
3 Responses for "Bush Backs Tibetans Without Trump Card"
Yes, President Bush is quite familiar with the false extension of good will since he is so practiced in it himself.
For him to say that the Olympics is about games and not politics, must be ranked with some of the most stupid or dishonest things he has commented on.
I consider his attendance a slap in the face to human and religious rights the very concept of personal liberty and environmentalism worldwide and the idea of fair play that the Olympics is founded on, and an embarrassment to America who he pretends to (but does not) represent.
BUSH NEEDS TO SEE THAT IT DOESNT MATTER HOW HE FEELS ABOUT THE GAMES, THIS YEAR’S GAMES ARE ALL ABOUT POLITICS.
He’s going to have to face it; sometimes all of us have to make sacrifices (such as not watching amazing athletes who have been training for years compete) in order to show the rest of the world that WE ARE LISTENING.
AMERICA IS LISTENING WETHER BUSH IS OR NOT.
AND THAT’S WHY I WILL BOYCOTT!!!
Bush is being dumb by attending the olympics. i understand he doesn’t want to ruin trademarketing with china and ruin a reputation we both have, but he can’t support them by showing their goverment that the U.S. president is there to watch..that just doesn’t seem right.
As a country, we are here to not let others treat people unfairly. we, as i thought, are all about freedom.
Bad example bush
Dumb move.
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