Bush is capping his 2-week-long campaign against a congressional resolution on the Armenian genocide by awarding the Medal of Honor to the Dalai Lama. The Chinese are demonstrating that Turkish pique has nothing on Mandarin fury. What gives? Why does this administration get all high and mighty and "hard nosed realist" when dealing with Turkey, but then get all moist when it comes to Tibet? Why is the Armenian genocide somehow irrelevant but we put some stock in future Tibetan independence? Do we need Turkey more than China? Really? If you're going to be a foreign policy realist, be one. Don't be one on Tuesday but not on Thursday. It undermines everything. Consistency matters.
It all comes back to Iraq, Iraq, Iraq. It's a Bush obsession. Bush will crap on anything that he thinks might get in the way of his Iraq policy. Syllogism: Turks are necessary for "success" in Iraq (defined as avoiding total catastrophe for a little longer). Turks don't want us to recognize that the Armenian genocide was a genocide, and might do something unpleasant vis-a-vis Iraq. Therefore: we choose the Turks over the Armenians.
Mind you, I am in favor of both recognizing the Armenian genocide and giving a medal to the Dalai Lama. I have no problem teaching foreign countries to be more thick-skinned when it comes to American activities designed primarily for domestic consumption. But to do one but not the other is just an added slap in the face to the Armenian-American community.
I guess after Gore got the Nobel peace prize, I get the feeling Bush just wants to be on a stage with somebody that can raise his stature. And Armenians don't cut it like the Dalai Lama.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Free Tibet, not Armenia
Posted by The Law Talking Guy at 9:30 AM
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5 comments:
Bush stressed many times that the honor for the Dalai Lama was as a spiritual leader, not political. In a way, this may marginalize Tibetan nationalists more than before.
My first thought when I heard this news was, "What is Washington playing at? That's two odd moves in two weeks." Are they trying, with symbolic gestures, to change foreign policy direction? Why piss off two allies in the same week? Next we will be talking about independent Taiwan. I am still not sure I get it- on either measure.
Two oddities does not a pattern make. But something is up. Is it election politics or something else? I suspect the "something" else.
I haven't followed the ins and outs of the Armenian issue. But it was Democrat Adam Schiff (Glendale is in his district). He sits on Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues (yes, I guess they have one of those), he is the co-founder of the Democratic Study Group on National Security and a member of the House Appropriations Committee, the House Judiciary Committee and the House Select Intelligence Oversight Panel.
That is an interesting set of activities has- intelligence, appropriations, and the judiciary. And he has a pet little project with the Armenian group. So that is the political back drop for the panel resolution.
LTG may be right that Bush is doing a little "one-up-man ship with the Dali Lama. But I suspect there is something else going on. Of course, I am sounding like a conspiracy theorist.
Well, first China isn't an ally per se. They aren't an enemy but really Taiwan is much more of an ally than China is. But that's a side point.
During the ceremony, Bush made a lot references to "religious opression" in China. I doubt very much he really cares about Tibetan Budhists. He's upset about Chinese government interference in the growing Christian community in China. The Dali Lama is the closest thing to a Chinese Pope.
In fact, I'd bet dollars to donuts that that is exactly how the Boob-In-Chief refers to him. "Heh heh...Hey Dick, let's give an award to the Chinese Pope. What's his name? Salvadore Lamas? Who knew they had Mexicans in China?"
It may have had something to do with Myanmar as well. In fact, that is probably it. My mistake for not knowing more or paying enough attention to Asia.
Gore gets the Nobel prize as a slap to Bush (don't think it was a secret to this spy-crazy administration). So he gets a photo op with the Dalai Lama. Totally makes sense to me. Did you notice that Condi tried to meet with the Pope this week? She was rebuffed.
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