by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright March 20, 2008
All Rights Reserved.

elling Tibet's exiled spiritual leader Dalai Lama down the river, the White House danced on the razor's edge, refusing to condemn China's brutal crackdown on the Himalayan Buddhist country. Scores of Buddhist monks have lost their lives protesting China's repressive measures. Whether admitted to or not, the U.S. bows to corporate interests, paying lip service to Red China while it tramples on human rights inside and outside the Peoples Republic. President George W. Bush had no qualms hosting the Dalai Lama at the White House Oct. 16, 2007, congratulating him for receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation's highest civilian award. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rich showed no spine, placating Chinese demands to reject the Dalai Lama and Tibet's yearning autonomy. Rice had no problem embracing Kosovo's independence, sacrificing ties with Serbia.

      Ubiquitous corporate interests in China prevent the U.S. from following a principled position on Tibet. With its unique culture and Budhist tradition, Tibet does not fit China's collectivist model. “She reiterated our call for restraint on the part of the Chinese government when they are dealing with protesters in these areas. Violence does not serve anybody's purposes,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, stopping well short of supporting the Dalai Lama's call to recognize Tibet's “autonomy, preserving China's sovereignty. Tibet's government in exile estimated over 100 protesters have died with China's crackdown, similar to the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, where pro-Democracy students were flattened by Chinese tanks, killing between 400-800 protestors. China blamed the Dalai Lama, sending thousands of troops across the Tibet border.

      European diplomats and foreign ministers called for boycotts of China's 2008 Summer Olympics, where some 203 countries expect to converge on Beijing, Aug. 8-24. China pretends that Tibet has no independent culture or tradition, blaming the Dalai Lama for inciting protests and riots, causing some 100 recent deaths. China rejects the Dalai Lama's call for autonomy, blaming him for the 1959 uprising and failed coup against Chinese rule. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao accused the Dalai Lama of “organized, premeditated, masterminded and incited by the Dalai clique,” violent protests seeking Tibet's independence from China. Watching Tibetan protesters beaten by the Chinese military prompted France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner to call for a mini-boycott of the Aug. 8 opening ceremony. U.S. authorities made it clear the U.S. would attend the opening ceremony.

      President George W. Bush, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angel Merkel all are expected to attend the opening ceremony. Boycotting the opening ceremony would be a devastating blow to China, hoping the games give Beijing an unblemished PR success. “We are considering it,” said Kouchner, calling on his European Union counterparts to put Beijing on notice to back off Tibet. Human Rights Watch pushed for the boycott, which would send China a loud message about violating the rights of Tibetan citizens. “Their presence at the games is going to be represented and reported by the Chinese government as a sign of approval,” said Sophie Richardson, urging the U.S. and European Union to protest China's crackdown. While talking tough, U.S. officials equivocated on how to register complaints and protest the Chinese government.

      U.S. officials remember all too well President Jimmy Carter's 1980 boycott of the Moscow Olympics, breaking the hearts of American athletes. Carter politicized the Olympics, using the boycott to punish the Soviets for invading of Afghanistan. It's beyond ironic that the U.S. allied with Osama bin Laden and his mujahedeen militia to fight Soviet occupation. No matter what happens in Tibet, it's doubtful that Bush will follow Carter's footsteps, staging any protest of the Beijing Games. “The Beijing Olympics will be a grand gathering for people from around the world,” said Premier Wen. “We need to respect the principles of the Olympics and the Olympic Charter and we should not politicize the games,” urging the U.S. and Europe to forget about Tibet when it comes to the Olympics. Washington can't complain or protest without alienating Chinese officials.

      Tibet's recent violence reminds a watching world China's attitude about the Dalai Lama and Tibet's quest for autonomy. Watching the Red Army descend on Tibet exposes China's true record on human rights. When a U.S. P-3C spy plane was shot down April 3, 2001 over the South China Sea, the U.S. learned about China's real character. They confiscated the plane and refused diplomatic access to U.S. military personnel. Washington had no choice, like they have today in Tibet, other than letting China call the shots. When China satisfied itself with its big victory, it reluctantly returned the crew and U.S. property in pieces. South African Olympic 50-meter butterfly gold medallist Roland Schoeman said the International Olympic Committee “should stand up and say, ‘The way these people [Tibetans] are treated is not acceptable,'” something the U.S. government won't do.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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