Obama snubbed Dalai Lama to appease China: Telegraph
posted at 3:35 pm on October 5, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Barack Obama somehow couldn’t carve out any time in his busy — nay, Olympian — schedule to meet with the Dalai Lama, despite almost two decades of precedents for presidential tetes-a-tetes with the Tibetan leader-in-exile. The Telegraph reports that the decision is no scheduling accident, but a deliberate snub predicated on diplomatic pressure from China:
It means Mr Obama will become the first president not to welcome the Nobel peace prize winner to the White House since the Dalai Lama began visiting Washington in 1991.
The Buddhist monk arrived in Washington on Monday for a week of meetings with Congressional leaders, celebrity supporters and interest groups, but the president will not see him until after he has made his first visit to China next month.
Samdhong Rinpoche, the Tibetan prime minister-in-exile, has accused the United States and other Western nations of “appeasement” toward China as its economic weight grows.
“Today, economic interests are much greater than other interests,” he said.
Mr Obama’s decision dismayed human rights and Tibetan support groups, who said he had made an unnecessary concession to the Chinese, who regard the Dalai Lama as a “splittist”, despite his calls for autonomy rather than independence for Tibet. The Chinese invaded in 1950, forcing the young leader to flee.
This is quite a departure for Obama, who called for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics to protest a brutal crackdown on dissent in Tibet. Human-rights advocates are dismayed at the reversal, including some in Congress, who see this as dangerous appeasement. The administration says through its sources that it wants to focus on Chinese cooperation on North Korea and Iran and do not want to annoy China unnecessarily ahead of those negotiations.
This is an instance where everyone on all sides make too much of the situation. While no one disputes that China’s rule over Tibet has been brutal and totalitarian, it’s been about the same as its rule everywhere else in China. The Dalai Lama has been an international celebrity for many years, but successive meetings with presidents have done nothing to change Tibet’s status. Furthermore, American Presidents have to focus on America’s needs, and if Obama can get China to bend on North Korea and especially Iran, skipping one meeting with the Dalai Lama would be well worth it.
Obama will be President for another three years, during which he will have plenty of time to meet personally with the Dalai Lama. In fact, even the Telegraph reports that the White House tried to get the Dalai Lama to reschedule his visit for after Obama’s negotiations with China, presumably allowing Obama to then meet him personally, but that request was refused. That certainly seems like the Obama administration made a good-faith effort to balance human rights with our need to gain cooperation with China on Iranian nukes.
I don’t think that snubbing the Dalai Lama will gain us that cooperation, of course, but avoiding a deliberate diplomatic provocation hardly counts as appeasement. In this case, I’d say that the Obama administration got it right, and that American interests trump a photo op with the Dalai Lama.
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That’ll make Hollywood happy. I smell a new petition coming out of LaLa land.
Laura in Maryland on October 5, 2009 at 3:36 PM
And I thought OB-One only snubbed White Euro-trash leaders and their countries!
chickasaw42 on October 5, 2009 at 3:36 PM
Obama is pro-occupation.
the_nile on October 5, 2009 at 3:37 PM
The Democrats have always been in bed with China (see Clinton and giving away our satellite technology for political cash).
That no one ever seems to dig up more details on this is… interesting.
Skywise on October 5, 2009 at 3:37 PM
Obama’s spending is at this point a National Security issue.
marklmail on October 5, 2009 at 3:38 PM
Go get ‘em, Dick Gere! :D
Orange Doorhinge on October 5, 2009 at 3:38 PM
Hope and Change
nyx on October 5, 2009 at 3:39 PM
The idea that he promotes “civil rights” is a joke. The man couldn’t care less about anyone other then himself.
sammypants on October 5, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Maybe O will make it up to the Dalai Lama by sending him some DVDs and an iPod.
Laura in Maryland on October 5, 2009 at 3:40 PM
That’ll make Hollywood happy. I smell a new petition coming out of LaLa land.
They’re all O-bots. They’ll ignore this or excuse or cover for him.
Dr. Carlo Lombardi on October 5, 2009 at 3:41 PM
You know, the reason I chose this site as my exclusive trolling venue is that, while I generally disagree with Ed, he is thoughtful and intelleigent and, even if I don’t often change my mind, I often learn something. This post was a case where it would have been easy to demagogue an event — I thought about this when I read a similar article in the WP this morning — but Ed chose not to.
Just wanted to say thanks, and I hope my approval doesn’t hurt Ed with the rest of the gang.
Bleeds Blue on October 5, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Good Bye, Dalai,
this is Barry, Dalai
It’s so nice to send you back where you belong
I’m doing swell, Dalai
Go to hell, Dalai
I’m still crowin’, while you’re goin’, yes until you’re gone
Daggett on October 5, 2009 at 3:42 PM
I hate to see Obama continue with habit of concession and appeasement, but I also think the Dali Lama is overrated.
Count to 10 on October 5, 2009 at 3:42 PM
Free Tibet!
jp on October 5, 2009 at 3:42 PM
That’s an insanely large “if”. The man’s been so successful in Russia already.
I’m not terribly horrified by this, but I am shocked.
Esthier on October 5, 2009 at 3:42 PM
Wow, ya think with Barry’s snub, China will rush to buy more debt, shake their finger at NorKorea and say “no!” and maybe support us on the Iranian issue! Barry, look at what you’ve won!
mimi1220 on October 5, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Why pass up an opportunity to pander to an enemy?
katiejane on October 5, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Which reminds me, why is George Clooney & the rest of the morons in HollyWeird so quiet about Darfur now?
Oh yeah. Staff change in the Oval Office.
portlandon on October 5, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Really? What casino lets me bet for free?
Daggett on October 5, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Yep, this ought to do the trick…bring the Chinese to our knees so that they’ll be our good friends and not call in our gargantuan debt to them. Why didn’t anyone think of this before? Obama, you’re a genius! LOL!
Halli Casser-Jayne
http://www.thecjpoliticalreport.com
The CJ Political Report on October 5, 2009 at 3:44 PM
So far, he’s batting 1000 on sucking up to tyrants.
Cicero43 on October 5, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Don’t do it Ed. Step back from the ledge, he was joking. /s
portlandon on October 5, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Of course it does, and you’ve been here long enough to know it. Though I love how you praise others for being fair when you refuse to do so.
Esthier on October 5, 2009 at 3:45 PM
He’s just making sure he can join the club when he declares himself dictator of the USSA.
Daggett on October 5, 2009 at 3:45 PM
This is just silly.
sammypants on October 5, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Well, there goes Richard Gere’s vote.
beatcanvas on October 5, 2009 at 3:46 PM
So throw the Dali Lama under the bus with the tires that are going to spark a trade war with China?
Corrupt union bosses Obama will go to bat for.
Freedom from tyranny? Not interested.
NoDonkey on October 5, 2009 at 3:46 PM
I’m skeptical this has a thing to do with Iran.
I’m guessing this was done on direct advice from Ben Bernanke. There’s a lot more debt to be monetized in the next few years.
notropis on October 5, 2009 at 3:46 PM
http://www.veteranoutrage.com
No surprise here
liberals always TALK tough
until they actually have too make a tough decision
then all of a sudden their so called principles
fly right out the window faster than an f22
I watched in amazement as they did this with
afghanistan
iraq
now we have the so called vanguards of the civil rights
all abandoning their followers.
leaving the dali lama swinging in the wind
just like all of th gays in iran..
veteranoutrage on October 5, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Obama did have this exchange with the Dalai Lama at the UN:
Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know.” And the Dalai Lama says, “Oh, uh, there won’t be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consiousness.” So Obama’s got that goin’ for him, which is nice.
WashJeff on October 5, 2009 at 3:47 PM
Agreed. The question is: How?
ZenDraken on October 5, 2009 at 3:47 PM
The Community Organizer in Chief getting China to bend to anything…
BBBBWWWWWWAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!
That’s a good one Ed, oh my, too much, I have to catch my breath…
Seven Percent Solution on October 5, 2009 at 3:48 PM
I was in Tibet last month. The Tibetan area of Lhasa, the capital, has Chinese soldiers and police everywhere — marching in columns down the streets, on rooftops, at every major street corner, videotaping people coming and going from the monasteries, etc. Their presence was obviously intended to be oppressive and intimidating, unlike in other Chinese cities.
Cicero43 on October 5, 2009 at 3:48 PM
As a Buddhist, I find this is just one more reprehensible act by a man-boy who has no business in the White House as an aide or staff member, let alone in the Oval Office.
Wolftech on October 5, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Very simple to predict what Obama will do. He always, ALWAYS sides with authoritative totalitarianism.
jukin on October 5, 2009 at 3:49 PM
There IS a reason why celebrating Communist China is now in vogue.
TexasDude on October 5, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Is it wrong of me to call Obama a d*ck head?
mizflame98 on October 5, 2009 at 3:51 PM
… and a dozen “Chicago 2016″ T-shirts.
Seven Percent Solution on October 5, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Free Tib*thump*.
Not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but it’s another symbolic kick in the balls to freedom seeking people everywhere.
BadgerHawk on October 5, 2009 at 3:51 PM
With the purchase of another Tibet of equal or greater value.
29Victor on October 5, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Take comfort in the fact that President Obama’s built up so much bad karma he’s either coming back as a bug or getting stuck in one of the three hells for another lifetime.
BadgerHawk on October 5, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Neither Richard Gere nor the gerbil were available for comment…”
Roc on October 5, 2009 at 3:53 PM
That’s pretty funny, right there.
Vashta.Nerada on October 5, 2009 at 3:54 PM
Of course it is – he’s President D*ck head
katiejane on October 5, 2009 at 3:55 PM
Communists of a feather, stick together!
capejasmine on October 5, 2009 at 3:55 PM
The narcissism contained here is blinding.
lorien1973 on October 5, 2009 at 3:55 PM
It’s a cinderella story…
trubble on October 5, 2009 at 3:57 PM
Red and yellow, screw a fellow.
Red, white, and blue will take a broom to you.
I cannot WAIT until 2010 and 2012….
HornetSting on October 5, 2009 at 3:59 PM
“Turkmenbama”. Once he is bought, the Commie STAYS bought.
Ok, so how many bad guys does this make “Turkmenbama” cozy up to now (why he is chilly to our allies.)?
Man, them Obama lovers really got snookered. Hee-hee.
Gob on October 5, 2009 at 3:59 PM
What exactly have you learned here since making HA your “trolling venue”?
Del Dolemonte on October 5, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Remember when Bush sat down with the Dalai Lama?
jp on October 5, 2009 at 4:00 PM
To claw your way to the top in a criminal enterprise like the Chinese government, you have to be tough as nails, savvy and street smart.
They see Obama as a complete joke. The guy coasted to the top.
They’ll eat him for breakfast and crap him before lunch.
We have no leadership in this country, to speak of.
NoDonkey on October 5, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Obama snubs a formerly slave-owning pharaoh-in-exile of an irrelevant former nation, in order to improve relations with a major superpower and trading partner.
I’m with Obama on this one. I’m just hoping that if he gets closer to the Chinese, some of their love of capitalism will rub off on him.
joe_doufu on October 5, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Dear Liar is allowing Himself to be pushed around by everyone.
rbj on October 5, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Dalai Lama: The Chinese killed hundreds of my people before the Beijing Olympics.
Obama: Yeah. I read about those robust debates. But have you seen the roads in China? Better than those in the US!
lorien1973 on October 5, 2009 at 4:01 PM
China has $900 billion in IOUs from us.
For starters.
Remember that brilliant strategy that trade with China would force them to be more malleable to us? They’d be dependent on our markets, they’d have a middle class that would force political liberalizatio?
Whatever happened to that?
SteveMG on October 5, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Chinese communists = 1
Dalai Lama = 0
Honduras independence/constitution = 0
Zelaya dictator/Chavez = 1
Iran revolutionaries = 0
Iran thugs = 1
North Korean, Cuban, Lybian thugs = 1
Obama has his priorities.
Schadenfreude on October 5, 2009 at 4:06 PM
This is one of the few times I’ll disagree with Ed. Once again the snub of the Dalai Lama in order to appease China will between friends and foes alike as a sign of weakness, and may open us up to more “challenges”. The snub will do nothing to extract cooperation from China on human rights, Iran and North Korea, and it demonstrates to our allies that we can’t be trusted.
I think the leaders of friendly countries must be asking the question,”How long until we get thrown under the bus?”
simkeith on October 5, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Oh, please. I was just having fun at my own expense. I am all too aware of my own insignificance. But I do find Ed (and AP) to be thoughtful and intelligent and thought that, just once, I might say so.
You should calm down just a little.
Hard to enumerate but I do look at things a little differently now and have picked up a few facts here and there. The military stuff is often illuminating, as I have few friends who have served. The site also reminds me that often, compromise might be possible if there is respect and a focus on the common long-term goals we all share: security and prosperity.
Of course, sometimes I learn that the right is full of psychotic, uncompromising Obama-phobes to whom there is no point in talking, but that’s interesting, as well.
Bleeds Blue on October 5, 2009 at 4:08 PM
I think we’re going to need a bigger bus.
MikeA on October 5, 2009 at 4:09 PM
This is not the Special Obamalympics I thought I knew.
Meremortal on October 5, 2009 at 4:09 PM
That’s what happens when you’re in debt up to your eyeballs,they control you:):):)It’s serious but laughable.These ignoramus’in Washington are a joke.
ohiobabe on October 5, 2009 at 4:11 PM
As a liberal, weren’t you screaming about free tibet?
Hmmmmm… so now that you have the “WON” in office.. you forget tibet and the Lama?
Nice about’face you got there. How is that blood on your hands?
upinak on October 5, 2009 at 4:11 PM
“Obama snubs a formerly slave-owning pharaoh-in-exile of an irrelevant former nation, in order to improve relations with a major superpower and trading partner. ”
So, when did he own slaves?
When he was 14 or younger or after he became Dalai Lama at age 15?
TexasDude on October 5, 2009 at 4:12 PM
One China.
– The One
spmat on October 5, 2009 at 4:12 PM
Bush sits down with the Dalai Lama
Obama sits down with thugs
jp on October 5, 2009 at 4:13 PM
You were conspicuously absent from the ACORN child sex slave facilitation thread.
Akzed on October 5, 2009 at 4:13 PM
The Dalai Lama just doesn’t buy enough T-bills to really matter.
J_Crater on October 5, 2009 at 4:14 PM
Guess Richard Gere regrets voting for Barry now TOO? It’s getting crowded under the bus.
marklmail on October 5, 2009 at 4:14 PM
Lay down with dogs and you’ll get fleas…I hope it’s all worth it to Obama.
NJ Red on October 5, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Yep, nothing like a man with convictions….
jbh45 on October 5, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Replace “Obama” with “Bush” and “right” with “left” and it’ll read true as well, don’t you agree?
rbj on October 5, 2009 at 4:16 PM
No. This is the Barack who went to China. Saw their empty trains and marveled at their infrastructure.
James on October 5, 2009 at 4:18 PM
Tibet is a small country, and doesn’t pose a threat to the US.
BobMbx on October 5, 2009 at 4:18 PM
Even though I’d be a card-carrying liberal if there were actual cards to carry, I try not to get caught up in the trendy-lefty causes of the day or in embracing empty gestures that accomplish nothing. In fact, I’m deeply suspicious of actors as lobbyists and would prefer that Richard Gere and his ilk shun politics entirely (except for writing fat checks to Nancy Pelosi).
I’m entirely pleased with this, but I’m can’t actually figure out any real downside. It’s not like meeting with the Dali Lama was going accomplish anything substantial, whereas a meeting with China not occluded by ostentatious gestures might accomplish something.
Bush/Rice were very in-you-face in their foreign policy, but they didn’t accomplish much. Time to try another strategy.
Bleeds Blue on October 5, 2009 at 4:19 PM
Obama is an equal-opportunity snubber. All leaders of free countries or freedom-loving systems are equally snubbed.
lovingmyUSA on October 5, 2009 at 4:19 PM
You just had to go there, didn’t you…
turfmann on October 5, 2009 at 4:19 PM
Snubbing China, appeasement, yada yada yada. The important point of this is that while a Nobel Peace Prize winner isn’t acceptable to visit the WH, people like Van Jones are. That says a lot about the guy running the place.
Dark Star on October 5, 2009 at 4:19 PM
WHATEVER! I am sure you have a “FREE TIBET” on your subaru or prius!
upinak on October 5, 2009 at 4:20 PM
HornetSting on October 5, 2009 at 4:20 PM
Dear Liar is allowing Himself to be pushed around by everyone.
rbj on October 5, 2009 at 4:01 PM
/////
A beta male prez.Great article by Greg Lewis over at American Thinker,in dog language,o is a beta male.
ohiobabe on October 5, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Feel more like home?
HornetSting on October 5, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Shadenfreude, thanks for the roll count. Seeing it in print makes a very strong impact.
Oh, mental-cased Liberals. Even Richard Gere’s Gerbil knows Obamarxist is a hypocrite. I support Tibet more than you Beta-Libs. Disgrazia!
Gob on October 5, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Yeah, I mean Iran’s only openly mocked us after these talks. Obviously more will help.
Always on the side of the oppressors… at least he’s consistent.
Esthier on October 5, 2009 at 4:22 PM
A Saab. And no. My fashion sense prohibits me from adorning my car with the same damn bumper stickers all my hipster neighbors have. I don’t even have an Obama sticker, though I tried to find one for a recent road trip through the red states. All I have is one from a friend’s public radio station in Portland, Maine, and one from the Hank Williams museum in Montgomery.
Bleeds Blue on October 5, 2009 at 4:23 PM
As if Michelle Obama couldn’t have met the Dalai Lama in the White House lawn organic vegetable garden. As if the Dalai Lama couldn’t have shaken hands at a serendipitous meeting in the same restaurant that the Obamas celebrated their anniversary.
All Obama showed was his willingness to be abrasive to gentle people in order to please cruel people, clinging to bitter antipathy.
The leaders of China and North Korea just did their photo op as China announced their support for N.Korea, again. I’m not sure how you’d figure that China is going to get involved with Iran in any other way than in an economic alliance, buying and selling oil and nuclear components.
Neither China nor Russia have any intention of enabling US diplomacy anywhere in the world. Watch how the UN votes roll forward.
Obama knew he’d be upstaged. Obama snubs consideration for Tibetan human rights for a photo op with the Red China flag flying next to the White House to celebrate 60 years of Communist brutality. It’s only one more snub to an international personality representing peace on earth from the self proclaimed messiah of hopenchange who lost his halo at Copenhagen.
maverick muse on October 5, 2009 at 4:23 PM
OK, so maybe this is “no big deal” in a pragmatic sense. But after the left made so much fuss about the “symbolic significance” of Obama’s presidency, are we not allowed to judge his actions as President by their symbolic nature? Because what this symbolizes, stinks.
Sharke on October 5, 2009 at 4:24 PM
Cooperation with the Dalai Lama is meaningless to Obama.
That gentleman can do nothing for the annointed one non.
All prior rhetoric to the contrary is excusable, since it helped get the boy king elected.
notagool on October 5, 2009 at 4:25 PM
heh
maverick muse on October 5, 2009 at 4:26 PM
I agree. I think the “head in sand” strategy of Carter and Clinton didn’t get a fair shake. Third times’ the charm, eh?
BobMbx on October 5, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Bleeds Blue…all those big words and “I’m better than thou” rhetoric yet NO compassion for the Tibetan struggle (you’ve given up it seems). You better re-think how awesomely kinder you think you are in contrast to the conservatives here because they care more about Tibet than YOU do.
Gob on October 5, 2009 at 4:26 PM
The Dalai Lama and his priests owned quite a few slaves, and most of the rest of his people were serfs. This guy was living in opulence, he’s not some kind of humble monk who owns only a prayer rug and some incense. You can Google slavery and serfdom in Tibet and you’ll find a lot of stuff. Here’s a fun Penn and Teller video on it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7t2Ztb92mE
China has a long way to go toward being a free country, and we should absolutely put pressure on them to move in that direction, but I hardly think that soiling the White House by inviting the Dalai Lama over is the best way to do so.
joe_doufu on October 5, 2009 at 4:26 PM
I like your handle. It will be fitting, say, November 2010 in Congress.
HornetSting on October 5, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Heh.
And your car wouldn’t even get keyed in said red states. If I, however, put an anti-Obama sticker on my car here in Madison I wouldn’t be so lucky.
BadgerHawk on October 5, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Despicable and reprehensible beyond belief.
Yet another reason why B.O. stinks.
pilamaye on October 5, 2009 at 4:31 PM
Totally agree with your assessment, Ed. However it is time once again for another round of the new drinking game that’s sweeping the nation: What if a Republican had done it?
If you believe Bush snubbing the Dalai Lama to make nice with China would have caused ear-splitting howls from the left, take a drink.
Kafir on October 5, 2009 at 4:33 PM
The Chinese slid down their zippers and exposed themselves to obama and said, swallow this or you won’t get your loans, so obama dropped to his knees and did his very best hoover imitation.
To him, “stimulus” means something completely different.
Spiritk9 on October 5, 2009 at 4:34 PM
More on the slavery and serfdom in Tibet before the Chinese takeover. This one has references, and everybody likes references: http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html
joe_doufu on October 5, 2009 at 4:34 PM
No kidding, Badger….those obama voters, righteous trash.
HornetSting on October 5, 2009 at 4:37 PM
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