There has to be some image tinkering done with this! The Blues Brothers... Bush, Hu, and Dick?? Keep D&D Civil.
I've read the Epoch Times and it's a collection of AP and Reuters articles. The only original thing from them are anti-China writings. There was an article in it two months ago about the Epoch Times' IT guy getting beaten by two Koreans in his home in Atlanta, yet the headline is something like, "Beaten in his own home, Chinese regime involvement suspected." The Washington Times is also another rag, apparently it's owned by "God".
Well if you think that was odd, wouldn't it also be weird for Bush pushing PRC leader to put more pressure on North Korea?
There're plenty of venues for her to exercise free speech. The press conference is the perfect one. Since she got in with media credentials, I don't understand why she couldn't wait just a little longer for the right moment and right place to berate the PRC leader. Could it be a sign that the magic of Fanlun Gong got the best of her? Without sounding "paranoid," I think the comparisons don't hold much water. In the first one, Bush headed to the wrong exit door -- apparently feeling frustrated after a long day -- and made a funny face when he found out the door was locked. It had zilch to do with the Chinese. If I remember correctly, it was an added session for reporters (from the Western media) to ask Bush domestic questions. It'd be odd if there were any Chinese media present. On the second one, I don't know what the questions were and manner they were asked. If someone could find the relevant articles, please post. As I said in the beginning, it's a fair game to question a foreign leader in open question-and-answer session. Personally I think it's a good thing for PRC leaders to face their adversaries in unfamiliar territories. If they are competent, there's no reason for them to be fearful of tough and even most unpleasant questions. It's actually to the benefit of the people of PRC that their leaders are candid, thoughtful, statesman like.
I'd feel bad about PRC it were in the same way that Hu was heckled. If I didn't make it clear, the ceremony welcoming the head of a foreign state is supposed to be formal and free of disruption. If anything, I feel sorry for the organizer and the host, not the "victims." The head of a state ought be able to handle it.
wnes is actually right on here - the Bush administration is quick to quash anybody exercising their rights to free speech in contravention of their ideas. Apparently not so much when it comes to Hu (whu's kind of a jerkoff in his own right, but that's a different subject). Any way, he could at least extend the same "suppressive" courtesy that he extends to others.
I don't think the Bush administration understands any diplomacy, from day 1. I recall clearly during that mid-air crush. Bush was so "tough" on TV, said that Chinese must send back all the crews and the plane untouched, then they could start to talk; otherwise, there would be sanctions etc etc. That's just not something a leader of the most powerful country should do. Those tough words can be delivered in a closed room from some officals. The guy just laid out all his cards in the first hand. He could achieve nothing that way. Diplomacy is about bull$hiting. Asian people generally care a lot about "face". When you say you must do this or otherwise in the public and in the first round, you would never get anything. On the end, GWB had to retreat, and started to play word games "sorry and regret THAT life is lost etc". Same thing this time, they probably think they could score domestically by acting tough. You can be tough in negotiation, and tough in the messages and actions you deliver. However, to intentionally low ball the President of another country is NOT the right way. I don't see Americans being proud of that kind of juvenail acting. What's the point to insist lunch instead of dinner? What's the point to let that woman in to shout something? Is that another act of "you must do this or otherwise"? Chinese, or Asian people in general they are very soft towards nice gesture and some useless lip services. They will hate you when you intentionally play those small tricks to make you "lose face" in front of their own people. Bush could easily order a serious and respectful ceremony, and let Hu know in private meeting, that US denied access to such such person to avoid disruption. Hu will be grateful. What's the point to piss him off? On top of that, you got some most imcompetent officer to announce about ROC. What can you say about this administration?
I probably didn't express myself clearly. I didn't say they are intentional about the national anthem thing. Of course not. It's fully incompetence. But it was intentional to insist on the lunch instad of dinner, to insist on "official visit" instead of "state visit", and I really doubt about that woman. But the main thing is, you weigh your options and calculate your moves in international affairs. I just don't see any benefit from those "little things", just make everything harder. What's the point? To me, that IS really incompetent in diplomacy. It's almost predictable when you got someone who never met any foreigner before.
Well after 5+ years of Bush in office, by now it is obvious that incompetence in foreign affairs is the rule, not the exception.
What country do we live in again?! A heckler from the Falun Gong spiritual movement who disrupted a White House appearance by Chinese President Hu Jintao was charged in federal court on Friday with harassing, intimidating or threatening a foreign official. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington said the misdemeanor charge carries a penalty of up to six months in jail. The woman, who entered the White House grounds as a reporter, interrupted a formal arrival ceremony between Hu and President George W. Bush on Thursday and shouted: "President Hu, your days are numbered. President Bush, make him stop persecuting Falun Gong." The embarrassing episode marred the South Lawn event and created a diplomatic stir. Bush personally apologized to Hu for the incident. U.S. officials identified the woman as Wang Wenyi, 47, a reporter with The Epoch Times, an English-language publication strongly supportive of the meditation movement that is banned in China. Spokesman Channing Phillips said she was arrested by the U.S. Secret Service and that the U.S. Attorney's office decided to proceed by filing the federal charge in court. The law at issue bars harassing, intimidating or threatening a foreign official in the performance of their official duties. When she was arrested, the heckler was charged with disorderly conduct. The spokesman said that charge, under local law, could be brought later. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060421...Jz_nDob.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-
It took secret service a few minutes to get her out. If this was Cindy Shaheen's fifth cousin's roomates girlfriend, she wouldn't even make it onto the whitehouse lawn. The other issue is loose security. She brought a flag with her. What if she intended to do harm? John Malkovich made a wooden gun from "In the Line of Fire." She had minutes to do as she wanted.
There are times and places where as an invited guest you are expected to behave with the proper decorum. The heckler was an invited guest of the US govt as a reporter. She wasn't someone that came in off the streets. Only invited persons were allowed to attend that even.t And this was a "solemn" event where the elaborate welcoming ceremony was being conducted, a foreign dignitary welcomed and making opening remarks. For a supposed reporter to heckle in these circumstances is highly improper. Heck even if she wasn't a reporter it would still be improper. If she wanted to protest, she should have joined the other protestors outside the White House, not inside the event. Remember when Cindy Sheehan was invited to attend Bush's State of the Union. Now we know the Secret Service denied her entry but let's say she got in and then in the middle of Bush's speech, she heckled Bush. Are you saying that would have been a proper and appropriate behaviour if Sheehan did that?
