Posted on 07/06/2008 10:33:58 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
President Bush on Sunday defended his decision to attend the opening ceremony of the Summer Games in China, saying he does not “need the Olympics” to express his concerns regarding the country’s human rights record.
While some world leaders have stated that they would skip the ceremony to highlight a Chinese crackdown in Tibet, Bush argues that he does not need to take such a step to address the issue.
“I had the honor of dealing with the Chinese -- two Chinese presidents during my term, and every time I have visited with them I have talked about religious freedom and human rights,” Bush said during a visit to Japan. “And so, therefore, my decision to go was -- I guess I don’t need the Olympics to express my concerns. I’ve been doing so.”
The U.S. president was backed by Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who declared at a joint press conference for the first time that he would also attend the ceremony after a scheduling conflict had been resolved. Fukuda stated that the Olympics do not have to be linked to politics.
Bush argued that “the Chinese people are watching very carefully about the decisions by world leaders, and I happen to believe not going to the opening ceremony for the games would be an affront to the Chinese people, which may make it more difficult to be able to speak frankly with the Chinese leadership.”
He added that he is “looking forward to cheering the athletes. I think it would be good for these athletes who have worked hard to see their President waving that flag.”
And?
The only ballsy foreign policy move Carter ever made was to boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Bush apparently won't come even close to that with a symbolic gesture.
I agree also. The Olympics were historically a time of truce. This is a big thing to the Chinese. Going will be a big deal to them, while not going would accomplish nothing good. Confont them when it would help, not when it would just piss on them.
He's ran foreign policy about like Jimmy Carter did. The difference is most Republicants won't protest it because of the stinking good of the party loyalty. The kind of loyalty Bush used to surround himself with Idiots for advisers. He couldn't even do Iraq right. Why? Because it might offend someone. Sheesh the man is a wimp just like his Poppy.
Actually I would do the latter with full force. And make sure the stream is aimed at government leaders and business moguls, not innocent peons.
Stand for something or you’ll fall for anything President Bush
it's not as though he stands for nothing...
peons?
follow the money - who helps pay bush’s bills?
That’s just lib propaganda. Give me an example.
To me, the North Korea thing is the best counter-example. Bush wanted multi-lateral talks, while the Dems insisted on one-on-one talks. Eventually, Bush got his way, and recently the success of that policy was demonstrated when NK tore down the cooling tower on their nuke installation.
How is that a policy of not caring what other nations thought? Insisting that other nations become involved in the process certainly does not fit that category.
The same strategy is being played out on Iran. Bush has resisted the Dems’ call for one-on-one talks directly with Iran. He has encouraged the Europeans to negotiate with Iran, while he plays the bad cop. It hasn’t worked, but I don’t think one-on-one talks would work either, nor do I see how his policy can be characterized as a “go it alone” policy. If anything, it is the Dems who want a go-it-alone policy, with their insistance on one-on-one talks.
By attending it offends me!
We shouldn’t even be participating in the games.
“offended” is a direct quote attributable to the headline editor. It happens all the time in the MSM.
“Eventually, Bush got his way, and recently the success of that policy was demonstrated when NK tore down the cooling tower on their nuke installation.”
I am not sure this demonstrates anything except that dprk no longer needs this particular facility for their work.
I don’t care much for Bush’s take on this. I believe there are some comments he could make, that would be more appropriate. That being said, I don’t disagree with his overall take.
What I do disagree with is our trade with China that is funding it’s accension to becoming a major adversary, and will utlimately destabalize the world. It already is.
We must pay attention to the global warming hype. It doesn’t have to.
We must pay three times what oil is worth, because we have created two more markets for oil, India and China. Simply brilliant on our part.
We allow China to charge 40% tariffs on our goods, and charge little or nothing on theirs.
China should be on it’s knees kissing our ass for what we are granting it. Instead it is developing ways to kick it.
All my fortune for a leader among us. And there are none.
The Olympics were created by international politics for international politics.
Then why are people here having conniption fit?
Beats me. It’s just a game. I hope our jocks come home alive.
You took the words right out of my mind! I didn't believe it was possible that "Mission Accomplished" could eclipse "Read My Lips" in whimp factor when I voted for him, but alas...I'm plain "Bushed"!
I cannot wait until Jan. 20, 2009 to see him go and, hopefully, welcome John McCain into do a man's job that proved too much for the "frat boy!"
George Bush 41 was, IMO, the only mistake Ronald Reagan ever made and it was a whopper because it led to George Bush 43 (whose legacy will be only slightly better than No. 42 (Clinton) or No. 39 (Carter).
The way it stands now if we had to go into Iran there is about a 50/50 chance all those new weapons we've provided to Iraq would be turned on our troops. Simply meaning Iraq is simply waiting for a mad man Cleric to take over. That is by no means a matter of it it is only a matter of when. It also bugs me that the needed manpower {End Troop Strength Levels and equipment} was never addressed by Bush or the former GOP Majority Houses.
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