Bush to attend Olympic opening ceremony

[Pangloss]

Apparently President Bush has decided to attend the opening ceremony of the China games.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7488858.stm

 

Makes sense. It's about sport, not politics.

[ecoli]

it's his last chance to get the good seats.

[Sisyphus]

On a related note, look at the situation with President Sarkozy. He had previously threatened to boycott the games over the situation in Tibet, but recently softened his stance:

 

“If there was continued progress and if the Dalai Lama and the Chinese president acknowledged the progress' date=' then the obstacle to my participation would be lifted,” Sarkozy said on French television.

 

He said the present situation in Tibet is “not acceptable” but added, “We absolutely must not push a population of 1.3 billion people into wounded nationalism.”[/quote']

 

He might be too late with that, though, since he might be unwelcome there anyway. In a recent survey, 88% of Chinese said they didn't want Sarkozy to come, and the government issued this brief, thinly veiled statement:

 

"The Olympic Games should not be politicized and that spirit should be respected by all the members of the Olympic family' date='" the spokesman Liu Jianchao told a news conference.

 

"We absolutely will not accept any politicization of the Olympic Games, or linking the Olympics to political issues. Any attempts to meddle in China's internal affairs will fail."[/quote']

[Pangloss]

They'd better watch statements like that, or it'll be a cold day in hell before they host again.

 

Of course, the way things are going they may be telling US who's hosting the next one.

[Sisyphus]

They'd better watch statements like that, or it'll be a cold day in hell before they host again.

 

Of course, the way things are going they may be telling US who's hosting the next one.

 

Really? It seems to me they're just saying the same thing you did: "It's about sport, not politics." Were you being sarcastic? Or are you alluding to something else?

[Pangloss]

I was thinking about that last bit: "Any attempts to meddle in China's internal affairs will fail." That's classic China don't-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way-out politics, there. They even historically apply that argument in the case of Taiwan, although I dimly recall something recently about how they've stopped doing that.

 

They know better than to use statements like that right now, and I'm kinda surprised they let it slip out. Just this week they starting direct flights to Taiwan, so they're definitely playing ball. Something about that Sarkozy situation must have gotten under their skin a bit. Interesting stuff.

[DJBruce]

The Olympics is about sports not politics. But it can and should be used to raise awarness to a cause. I feel the best way to raise awarness for Tibet would be by having all American athletes or maybe all athletes in general where a patch and or symbol to represent Tibet. Also President Bush could use the games as a forum to discuss the issuse of Tibet.

[Pangloss]

That's a good point, I definitely expect to see a few subtle political messages from the athletes, if only expressions of empathy. I'm not so sure about the idea of Bush trying to open a political dialog while at the games -- other countries might see it as inappropriate, not just China. Perhaps after he leaves.

[Mr Skeptic]

I'm disgusted at the whole thing. The Olympics is about sports, not politics. Are we to try to use it for politics, get mad when China points out that it is about sports, and get all self-righteous about it? I'd say we are the ones in the wrong here...