MC Moot
10-17-2007, 12:46 PM
"Mr. Bush gets it right"
First published: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
This week is destined to be one of the more distinguished brief periods in the otherwise troubled presidency of George W. Bush. The President's embrace of the Dalai Lama, in a private meeting on Tuesday and today at a ceremony where the Buddhist spiritual leader will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, demonstrates both wisdom and courage.
The Dalai Lama's leadership in the long and unfinished struggle for a democratic Tibet, free of interference and oppression by China, is one that emulates the best of American ideals. Nothing, it seemed, was going to deter Mr. Bush and Congress from honoring one of the true human rights crusaders -- not even that very interference and intimidation by China.
Listen to the demands and threats from Beijing. Its insistence that the United States cancel what it calls "the extremely wrong arrangements," is at once outrageous and comical. Here's Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi saying that honoring the Dalai has, get this, wounded the feelings of the Chinese people. The feelings and rights of Tibet, which China has been menacing for more than half a century, are of little concern to a country that embraces hegemony.
If only Mr. Bush were more consistent in his determination to stand upon principle. The same President who will symbolically yet boldly stand up to China shows precisely the opposite instincts when it comes to Turkey and Armenia. Just days before the Dalai Lama's visit to Washington, Mr. Bush was doing all he could to try to stop the House of Representatives from denouncing the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians in what is now Turkey during World War I for what it was -- genocide.
It just wouldn't be right, especially not now, Mr. Bush was saying. Turkey would be offended. Turkey might think again about accommodating the United States as it ships war supplies to Iraq. It might even be serious about attacking the Kurds in northern Iraq in retaliation for a nonbinding measure that simply sets straight the record of history.
Say this, then, about China. At least its blatant human rights violations and hyperaggressive trade policies don't leave it with a stake in the Iraq war. It is fair to wonder if Mr. Bush would be so willing to honor the Dali Lama over Beijing's objections if his nonetheless doomed Iraq war strategy would be affected.
The Dalai Lama joins Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill and Mother Teresa, among others, as heroic figures from throughout the world who have been recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal. Mr. Bush enhances his own stature as well, by putting freedom and democracy before diplomatic acquiescence. He could do so yet again by joining, rather than opposing, the House as it courageously remembers how the Armenians were victims of genocide.
First published: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
This week is destined to be one of the more distinguished brief periods in the otherwise troubled presidency of George W. Bush. The President's embrace of the Dalai Lama, in a private meeting on Tuesday and today at a ceremony where the Buddhist spiritual leader will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, demonstrates both wisdom and courage.
The Dalai Lama's leadership in the long and unfinished struggle for a democratic Tibet, free of interference and oppression by China, is one that emulates the best of American ideals. Nothing, it seemed, was going to deter Mr. Bush and Congress from honoring one of the true human rights crusaders -- not even that very interference and intimidation by China.
Listen to the demands and threats from Beijing. Its insistence that the United States cancel what it calls "the extremely wrong arrangements," is at once outrageous and comical. Here's Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi saying that honoring the Dalai has, get this, wounded the feelings of the Chinese people. The feelings and rights of Tibet, which China has been menacing for more than half a century, are of little concern to a country that embraces hegemony.
If only Mr. Bush were more consistent in his determination to stand upon principle. The same President who will symbolically yet boldly stand up to China shows precisely the opposite instincts when it comes to Turkey and Armenia. Just days before the Dalai Lama's visit to Washington, Mr. Bush was doing all he could to try to stop the House of Representatives from denouncing the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians in what is now Turkey during World War I for what it was -- genocide.
It just wouldn't be right, especially not now, Mr. Bush was saying. Turkey would be offended. Turkey might think again about accommodating the United States as it ships war supplies to Iraq. It might even be serious about attacking the Kurds in northern Iraq in retaliation for a nonbinding measure that simply sets straight the record of history.
Say this, then, about China. At least its blatant human rights violations and hyperaggressive trade policies don't leave it with a stake in the Iraq war. It is fair to wonder if Mr. Bush would be so willing to honor the Dali Lama over Beijing's objections if his nonetheless doomed Iraq war strategy would be affected.
The Dalai Lama joins Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill and Mother Teresa, among others, as heroic figures from throughout the world who have been recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal. Mr. Bush enhances his own stature as well, by putting freedom and democracy before diplomatic acquiescence. He could do so yet again by joining, rather than opposing, the House as it courageously remembers how the Armenians were victims of genocide.