Straight Platform Politics

Noticing The Dalai Lama Snub

The world took note when President Obama decided not to meet with the Dalai Lama when the exiled Tibetan leader visited the U.S. earlier this month. The administration tried to pacify China by not receiving this distinguished Nobel Peace Prize recipient. See previous post

Alison Smale noted in the New York Times (10/14/09) that when interviewing Vaclav Havel, a leader in the non-violent overthrow of communism in Czechoslavakia, he had a question for her. “Was it true, he wanted to know, that President Barack Obama had refused to meet the Dalai Lama in Washington?”

Ms. Smale told the former Czech president that President Obama would meet with the Dalai Lama after the President’s visit to China. His response? “It is only a minor compromise….But exactly with these minor compromises start the big and dangerous ones, the real problems.”

Maureen Dowd, also of The Times, weighed in with this: “The tyro American president got the Nobel for the mere anticipation that he would provide bold moral leadership for the world at the very moment he was caving to Chinese dictators. Awkward.”

Awkward, indeed. The Dalai Lama, the Nobel Peace Prize, and human rights were forced to take a backseat to a dictatorship. And that’s what the world noticed.

Alison Smale, Czechoslavakia, Dalai Lama, Dalai Lama's visit, Maureen Dowd, Nobel Peace Prize, President Obama, Tibet, Vaclav Havel, human rights

Dangers Of The Dalai Lama Snub

The Dalai Lama visited the U.S. earlier this month. Unfortunately, the Obama administration needlessly postponed the president’s meeting with this exiled Tibetan head-of-state and fellow Nobel Peace Prize recipient. Will this be used by the Chinese to further disparage the Dalai Lama? See Previous Post

Several people are concerned that this put-off could set a precedent and increase China’s arrogance. It could also make it more difficult for the Dalai Lama to have meetings with leaders of other countries. China has already put pressure on other leaders not to have the Dalai Lama visit their countries.

The Dalai Lama’s meetings with past presidents were usually private visits. But President Bush in 2007 met publicly with the Dalai Lama who was being honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest civilian award. The postponement by President Obama could easily be described as a rejection of the Tibetan leader.

This administration may have emboldened the Chinese by snubbing the Dalai Lama but it won’t secure a better relationship with them. It has just placed the U.S. in a position of being viewed as a country led by a weak and compromising and easily manipulated administration.

China, Congressional Gold Medal, Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Prize, President Obama, Tibet, snub