But I also recognize Utah’s Olympics are the exception, not the rule. I remember working in a concession stand on the Main Street of Park City; it was a blast. All those athletes and visitors; we had a great time.

It won’t be like that for Beijing, though, I’m sure.

“I’ve said that it is very easy with hindsight to criticize the decision,” he said. “It’s easy to say now that this was not a wise and a sound decision.”

Libs legislators, and policy institute heads ought to have rubber stamps made up with this quote on them. It would be so helpful for responding to questions in case Obama gets elected. They could use it when it becomes clear that nationalized health-care was a disaster, when a premature pull-out from Iraq leads to the inevitable genocide, when it becomes clear that global warming was not man-made and they have enacted all kinds of economy-wrecking policies to “fix” it, making Al Sharpton Secretary of State, making Jimmuh the ambassador to UN, flourescent light bulb mandates, etc., etc., ad nauseam. If Obamah gets elected, they are going to need them.

“there only room for one purvayer of human misery in this town pilgrim”

Rogge says that the IOC felt it could force political change on China by awarding it the 2008 Olympiad.

But….but….we can negotiate with our enemies!

Quisp on April 10, 2008 at 9:29 AM

You’re in no danger from the Han, and there are not 17 million Uighers or Tibetans in Beijing.

In fact, I hear that starting in May, all Chinese people (not from Beijing), will have to register with the police if they want to visit Beijing.

So it’s only the 17 million people who live there we have to worry about?

I do think China thought it could get away with putting up a fancy and false facade for the event while continuing its SOP toward Tibet, as well as toward its own people. I can’t tell for sure if they are falsely reporting terror threats to garnish sympathy and divert attention, or if there really is one.

And, there is no way to tell if there will be any positive effect from the Olympics until they are over.

In fact, I hear that starting in May, all Chinese people (not from Beijing), will have to register with the police if they want to visit Beijing.

Tibet is another matter since the Buddhists ans their supporters have not been formally declared a terrorist organization. Anyone who thinks any amount of protesting will result in China giving up Tibet is insane. When the Olympics are over and all the media attention is gone, the real oppression will start.

Any city mayor or state governor who puts together a bid to host the Olympics, should be impeached and removed from office.

The Olympics are huge money losers, what with the construction overruns and the bribes that have to be paid to the IOC.

The severely degrade the quality of life in the host city, with traffic problems and a lot of unnecessary construction.

Chicago has a bid in for the 2016 Olympics I believe, the city should cancel their application, if they have any sense.

worst Olympics ever

As if any Olympics were anything other than pompous, boring, & politically tainted.

China is definitely on the rise militarily and there will be a major, major crackdown on their Muslim western provinces at some point in the future. These provinces are connected to central Asia–the old “silk road”– rather than to China. They are, one and all, hotbeds of radical Islam. The preponderance of brutal dictatorships in the adjoining republics, following the Stalin example, has been to repress Islam since the 1920′s–even moderate Islam. It’s all one big tinderbox.

Personally I think the Chinese are stretching the truth for purposes later on when they begin their crackdown. Like the Russians, when they start cracking heads, they are not concerned with what you think.

ParisParamus on April 10, 2008 at 8:35 AM

ParisParamus on April 10, 2008 at 8:37 AM

I guess somebody said, “you can say that again.” ;)

By the way, just what the heck is the Olympic “Movement”? Where is it moving? There ain’t no movement; that word is just an attempt to paper-over something less noble. And don’t give me the 1936 Hitler comparison–Hitler didn’t have Internet filtering.

By the way, just what the heck is the Olympic “Movement”? Where is it moving? There ain’t no movement; that word is just an attempt to paper-over something else.

Rogge says that the IOC felt it could force political change on China by awarding it the 2008 Olympiad.

Typical Eurocrat appeasement-thinking: give the other side exactly what it wants and demand nothing in return — “Peace through superior dialogue!”

Uighers comprise a significant portion of the foreign fighters in nearby Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Ed, can you provide documentation that these Uighers are Xinjiang Uighers (Chinese Uighers)? I hadn’t heard that before. Thanks.

Rogge says that the IOC felt it could force political change on China by awarding it the 2008 Olympiad.

Really? I thought the games weren’t political?

The IOC’s problem isn’t hindsight, it’s moral blindness.

The IOC and the UN are interchangeable organizations.