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Bush: Olympic boycott would insult Chinese
CNN ^ | July 6 2008

Posted on 07/06/2008 6:17:46 AM PDT by DemonDeac

"President Bush on Sunday defended his decision to attend next month's Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, saying that to boycott "would be an affront to the Chinese people.""

"Speaking to reporters ahead of this week's summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in Japan, Bush said he did not need to skip the ceremony to show his position on religious freedom and human rights in China. "

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2008olympics; boycottchina; boycottolympics; china; geopolitics; olympics
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To: ken21
i’ve been around a lot of chinese immigrants all of my life. they’re hard-working.

So what?

Ya think the Chinese Communist peasants are attending the Olympics? No, of course they're not. The Chicoms will sweep them off the streets, to get out of the way.

so, i agree with the president.

Some of you people would agree with Bush regardless of what he did.

61 posted on 07/06/2008 12:04:35 PM PDT by dragnet2
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To: TigersEye
Scratch that. That happened in Japan.

LOL Then a Bush never done nothing for this nation in relation to China. It's all about Corporate Interest.

62 posted on 07/06/2008 12:53:33 PM PDT by cva66snipe ($.01 The current difference between the DEM's and GOP as well as their combined worth to this nation)
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To: dragnet2

you don’t like president bush?


63 posted on 07/06/2008 2:07:06 PM PDT by ken21 ( people die + you never hear from them again.)
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To: indcons

Hey, dude! I’m just peachy as always. Looks like we’ve got a few mini-trolls on this thread.


64 posted on 07/06/2008 2:28:10 PM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner ("We must not forget that there is a war on and our troops are in the thick of it!"--Duncan Hunter)
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To: ken21

To be honest, I prefer conservatives, strong leadership, a much smaller government, secured borders and policy that puts America first, as opposed to what we have now.

Hope that answers your question.


65 posted on 07/06/2008 2:52:54 PM PDT by dragnet2
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To: ken21
The problem is, this isn't about the typical Chinese person - I agree with what you've said, they are hard working, good people for the most part.

This, however, is about the Chinese government, and about their quest to be seen as a bigger player than they currently are, and the Olympics, and Bush's attendance, play into their image campaign. Of course, I'm not arguing that China is not a major player in the world - they are, but they are doing so at the expense of many other nations (the US included).
66 posted on 07/06/2008 3:03:20 PM PDT by af_vet_rr
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To: ml/nj
Do our Presidents usually attend Olympic Game opening ceremonies? I do not recall this being some sort of tradition.

Only when held in the U.S. A sitting president has never attended a foreign Olympics.

67 posted on 07/06/2008 3:09:07 PM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: rhombus
Bush rejection of Carteresque diplomacy. Oh yes, quite the blunder. No doubt boycotting the Olympics would bring the Chicoms to their knees just as it did the Soviets...snicker. Well those that can’t do... issue pointless insults. If it feels good, do it.

Nobody is talking about boycotting the Olympics. The question is why President Bush should choose these Olympics to be the first sitting president in history to attend a foreign Olympic games. The answer is because he doesn't give a damn how it looks.

68 posted on 07/06/2008 3:12:38 PM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: DemonDeac

Absolutely the right decision. No point in insulting them. Smart, very smart decision.


69 posted on 07/06/2008 8:49:49 PM PDT by Technical Editor
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To: Non-Sequitur
The question is why President Bush should choose these Olympics to be the first sitting president in history to attend a foreign Olympic games. The answer is because he doesn't give a damn how it looks.

I'm not sure I give a damn how it looks either. How does it look to you?

70 posted on 07/07/2008 7:18:43 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: rhombus
How does it look to you?

It looks like China could invade Taiwan tomorrow and Bush would still be there for the opening ceremonies, smiling like a fool.

71 posted on 07/07/2008 7:46:36 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: Non-Sequitur
It looks like China could invade Taiwan tomorrow and Bush would still be there for the opening ceremonies, smiling like a fool.

Well Bush had his chance to fight with China right after he was elected when they attacked our plane. He chose not to. Good decision? Bad decision? Imagine us embroiled with a shooting war with China when AQ hit us on 9/11. What a different world it might be. Harry Turtledove would have another series of novels for the next 10 years. But regarding China and Taiwan, despite their bluster, I'd be surprised if China were stupid enough to invade Taiwan. All they have to do is wait and Taiwan will probably willingly join them. How things can change in 60 years or so.

72 posted on 07/07/2008 7:54:14 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: rhombus

I’m not suggesting Bush launch a war with China. What I am questioning is why Bush is dead set on attending the Olympic in Beijing? No sitting U.S. president has ever attended a foreign Olympics, so it’s not like he would be breaking precedent. China has attracted international criticism on human rights, on Tibet, on its actions in Africa. The only thing it cares about right now are the Olympics. What Bush is saying to the world is screw Tibet, screw Africa, screw human rights, I’m going to go to the Olympics anyway with my good buddy Hu Jintao. I think that is a bad decision.


73 posted on 07/07/2008 8:06:23 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: Non-Sequitur

It could be a bad decision and then there could also be plenty going on that we don’t know about. I really don’t think the Olympics needs any more political drama which never seems to accomplish much of anything. I really don’t think Bush is saying to the world “screw Tibet, screw Africa, screw human rights, I’m going to go to the Olympics anyway with my good buddy Hu Jintao” as you’ve said. But heck, maybe he is. He did warn the world about Iraq, Iran and North Korea and nobody listened and in fact condemned him. So if he’s saying screw it on China, I for one don’t blame him at this point. Maybe those who are so outraged about Tibet, Africa and Chinese human rights should get off their butts and do something themselves instead of harping on a president who has 5 months left in a term where he did try to do something about human rights beyond the usual empty rhetoric.


74 posted on 07/07/2008 9:32:57 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: Non-Sequitur
Nobody is talking about boycotting the Olympics. The question is why President Bush should choose these Olympics to be the first sitting president in history to attend a foreign Olympic games. The answer is because he doesn't give a damn how it looks.

I heard a clip of him over the weekend mentioning that it was for the athletes and not for politics.

Either he thinks we are a bunch of braindead morons that will buy that, or he's a braindead moron that believes that.
75 posted on 07/07/2008 9:53:38 AM PDT by af_vet_rr
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To: af_vet_rr
I heard a clip of him over the weekend mentioning that it was for the athletes and not for politics.

Methinks that's a load of bull...manure. What about the atheletes at Athens back in 2004? Why no special presidential visit to the Olympics for them? Didn't he care about that team?

Personally I think it's because Bush wants to go to the Olympics and he wants to go with all the trappings of President. Period.

76 posted on 07/07/2008 9:59:37 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner
I say insult them, and then insult them some more. Who care what the Chinese people think?

Well, George W Bush does. And I appreciate his sensitivity in this matter. He is a great President because of actions like this.

77 posted on 07/12/2008 11:28:04 AM PDT by ponder life
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To: yarddog
Actually I don't believe in boycotting the Olympics, I simply no longer support them at all. Ever since they banned South Africa while allowing every single terrorist state, I can't abide them.

I agree with your perspective. I have met people like yourselves who have taken a political affront at the way South Africa was treated when other rogue nations where much worse (and many of them within the African continent). YET ............ the IRONY, is that many people who have this perspective about S. Africa SHOULD have that same wisdom in regards to China. That despite China's short comings, there are other states far worse. Yet, these people (those who took an affront to the whole Nelson Mandela celebrity status) want to put China in the same political light, that is, to highlight everything negative about China despite the fact that other nations that are far worse. Ironic and perplexing to me.

78 posted on 07/12/2008 11:50:55 AM PDT by ponder life
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To: ponder life; indcons

Troll.


79 posted on 07/12/2008 12:29:45 PM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner ("We must not forget that there is a war on and our troops are in the thick of it!"--Duncan Hunter)
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner
Troll..

I am not. You only see me that way, because to you, my perspective on many of the issues surrounding China appear provoking. But they are not meant to be, but rather, to give a perspective that is outside the political PARADIGM of the FR.

80 posted on 07/12/2008 5:18:28 PM PDT by ponder life
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