Courtesy of "Sammy's Good Eye" :
In the Spring of 2008 then candidate for the Presidency Senator Barack Obama loudly proclaimed that President George W. Bush should boycott the opening ceremonies of the Olympics hosted in Beijing. Chief among Senator Obama’s concerns was China’s horrendous human rights record as it applies specifically to Tibet. In his own words: “If the Chinese do not take steps … to respect the dignity, security and human rights of the Tibetan people, then the president should boycott the opening ceremonies.” Speaking even more firmly he added: “We have not been consistent enough and tough enough in pushing them to deal with Tibet properly.” Taking him at face value one cannot help but conclude that candidate for President Senator Barack Obama was deeply concerned for and respectful of the plight of the Tibetan people enduring Chinese occupation and oppression.
What a difference eighteen months makes.
This second week of October 2009 has seen President Barack Obama make history again. With the Dalai Lama’s arrival in Washington on Monday President Obama became the first President in thirty years not to meet with the exiled Tibetan holy man as he visited the land of the free and the home of the brave. While prominent law makers of both political parties bent over backwards to meet with the Dalai Lama and express their support for the goal of a free Tibet the White House announced the President would “postpone” meeting with the Dalai Lama until after the President’s visit to Beijing next month. Perhaps in an ironic foreshadowing at the same time he was asking President Bush to boycott the Beijing opening ceremonies then candidate Obama observed “it’s very hard to tell your banker that he’s wrong.” Hence whereas candidate Obama asked President Bush to boycott Beijing on behalf of Tibet President Obama has now officially boycotted the Dalai Lama on behalf of Beijing.
Wait, there’s more. (continues here at Sammy's Good Eye)
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