China Olympics

[Freak Out]

Our current regime will do nothing to pressure the Chinese on something as trivial as the Olympic games considering they have us by the balls financially.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Gonna be hard to pressure ANYBODY on human rights reform when we are torturing people. Regardless of your, mine, etc. viewpoint..most of the world deplores our actions in GT, Abu, and our methods.

It's not a unilateral action by U.S. It would be broad statement.

Also, using a big stick against china is the wrong method. Diplomacy is what is needed.

Boycotting a ceremony is not a big stick. And we already have plenty of engagement and diplomacy.

The way to engage them is opening new lines of communication and reducing the capacity for misunderstanding during times of crisis.

Again, we have great engagement with china already. Lack of communication is not the issue.

Since the Chinese are big on respect/shame..is this the way to go?

yes! yes!

Do we want to slight them in a way that will cause us major problems?

Again, it's a broad boycott, not just the U.S. or another coallition of the willing. China is not going to withdraw from the world. Why do you suppose this Olympics means so much to them? This is a rare and appropriate time to remind China that they will BENEFIT from less authoritarian treatment of their unwilling subjects.

I know it is unilateral, but WE carry the most weight. We are the big player..militarily, economically...and most importantly..competition in the olympics.

Plenty of engagment and diplomacy? Are you kidding. Until Fallon engaged them in 05 they were going to be one of our next wars. Fallon ran into major neocon push back.

Shame: Wrong.

Slight them: I'm not talking about just the olympics...i'm talking about what happens afterward. I guess you just wanna play into the chinese hardliner's hands. Yep, let's just give them another excuse.

Not competing will not show them a benefit. It will only show our hypocrisy.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Our current regime will do nothing to pressure the Chinese on something as trivial as the Olympic games considering they have us by the balls financially.

Yeah, let's not forget who lent us money to finance our current wars.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Not competing will not show them a benefit. It will only show our hypocrisy.

TB, I think you need to read the article. Nobody is threatening to not compete. The boycott is of part of the opening ceremonies that does not involve athletes.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Not competing will not show them a benefit. It will only show our hypocrisy.

TB, I think you need to read the article. Nobody is threatening to not compete. The boycott is of part of the opening ceremonies that does not involve athletes.

I didn't read the article. Sorry.

Still don't think boycotting the ceremonies is a good idea. Not going to change anything, and special moment for the athletes.

[Joemailman]

Why not just nuke 'em?

[MJZiggy]

While I see the point of the boycott, I've come to the conclusion that politics and the Olympics should be kept separate. The Olympics is supposed to be about friendly competition between nations (keyword: SUPPOSED). Why politicize it?

[Scott Campbell]

There are a lot of ways to make a political statement at the Olympics without resorting to a boycott. Statements made while attending the games seem far more impactful to me.

[Scott Campbell]

[Harlan Huckleby]

the athletes are prohibited from making political statements.

[Scott Campbell]

the athletes are prohibited from making political statements.

LOL

Well, ok, Tommie Smith and John Carlos were prohibited. Did it stop them? Is there a more enduring image in the history of the games?

Jesse Owens made his statement just by showing up and not being inferior to Hitler's superior race.

I'm glad those guys didn't boycott the Olympics.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I don't see how an athlete could make a statement about Tibet.

don't know how the enforcement is done. Would the entire team be punished?

understand that nobody is proposing a boycott by athletes.

[Scott Campbell]

don't know how the enforcement is done. Would the entire team be punished?

I think the IOC sent Smith and Carlos home.

[Scott Campbell]

I don't see how an athlete could make a statement about Tibet.

I'm confident the athletes could come up with something not nearly as lame as a couple of starched shirts staying home.

[Scott Campbell]

understand that nobody is proposing a boycott by athletes.

And why would they stay home? I'm arguing that you can make a bigger impression by attending.