By The Wanderboy
President Obama met with the Dalai Lama earlier this week in the face of repeated warnings from Beijing. The meeting, held in the Map Room in order to partially soothe China’s sensitivity to the issue, still drew irate reactions from the Chinese government.
I don’t think that pissing off China is necessarily a wise political maneuver, but I do like the fact that Obama didn’t give in to pressure from Beijing to put off the meeting. Obama needs to show some balls. I prefer he do it domestically as well as on the international stage, but there was a little bit of that, “Fuck you, I’m the President of the United States and I will meet with whomever I please” kind of tone to the whole thing. George Bush obviously perfected that tone to a detrimental level, but by the same token the United States remains atop the world and everyone looks to the President as the strongest political figure.
The fact is, aside from China owning quite a bit of US debt, the two nations need one another. So this is a bit of a political chess match and not one that is going to greatly sour Obama’s reputation with many nations except, well, China. The communist government has a long history of persecution against the people of Tibet. Should the US stand idly be and let that continue? We certainly haven’t done it in the past and I don’t think anyone else on the world stage is really going to care if Obama meets with the Dalai Lama to get his side of the issue. The Chinese government is clearly attempting to block these meetings because it is afraid the truth will come out, which is of course all the more reason to hold them.
The US is still a nation that consumes greatly from China. China is still a nation that produces greatly for the US. They’ll figure it out. I’m sure the Chinese ambassador is none too pleased and is getting an ear full, but that’s his job. For now I’m glad Obama decided to wave a proverbial hand of dismissal in the air and meet with whom he pleases.
Now let’s get some of that on the home front damnit!
-The Wanderboy
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