Obama & his ‘realists’ want to avoid appearing as ‘soft on the PRC’. Read, if you haven’t yet, the Chinahand reports for the games being played in East-Asia (seen from the center of the world here on the western beaches of Japan, his analysis is fairly accurate, albeit a bit too much US centric).
Attempts at colour revolutions will come, in a few years time (of course, a bit more unrest in Lhasha is never a bad thing…).

Posted by: Philippe | Feb 21 2014 7:56 utc | 4

It remains a simple fact that Tibet is a Chinese province. For Obama to continue to meet the Dalai Lama is extremely provocative. There is no way that the US will recognize the Dali Lama as the leader of a sovereign state unless the US is willing to go to war against China. That will not happen. It is hard to understand why Obama continues to meet with him. Perhaps this is part of Obama’s pivot to Asia policy but if so it is extremely dangerous.
Whatever this means I thank b for bringing this up. After all, China is much more important than is the Mid East in terms of America’s attempt to rule the world. Of course the Ukraine is a major piece in America’s attempt to rule Asia but China remains the major obstacle. I have been following Pepe Escobar and Peter Lee at Asia Times over the last year or so and they have been bringing up some major issues that could blow up into major military confrontations involving China, Japan and/or the US.
This was something that was percolating for some time — any conflicts were delayed in 2003 when the US decided to go to war in Iraq. The Chinese have used the last decade to prepare for what they sense might follow. Indeed, they must have considered the US war in Iraq as a god send — let their enemy bleed in some unwinnable and useless war why they sit back and watch. The Chinese have definitely followed Napoleon’s advice: “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake”
In any case the US is winding down its losing wars in the ME and is now trying to exert its power against Russia (in the Ukraine) and against China wherever they can see an opening. Perhaps in Tibet but more likely in the Western Pacific.

Posted by: ToivoS | Feb 21 2014 10:06 utc | 6

L Bean @ 3
Good point, well made.
The NATO-countries imperial efforts to dominate the world by dragging down any rivals succeed only because western media and their audience only believe what is stated by a government official. Unless a story is officially confirmed it is a non-event. To bad the western policy of destabilizing non-conformist governments will never be publicly admitted.

Posted by: Alexander | Feb 21 2014 11:47 utc | 8

@ 8:”To bad the western policy of destabilizing non-conformist governments will never be publicly admitted.”
Yep, that’s always the 300lb. gorilla in the room. Much of what Obama does these days, is pure Kabuki. This meeting with the Dalai Lama is more theater.
As long as the corporate elites get to use China’s labor pool, I doubt the elites in China will buck the system.

Posted by: ben | Feb 21 2014 14:30 utc | 10

Interesting to note, too, that it is the US dollar’s world hegemony that makes so much of this interference possible. With the power to print fiat currency ad infinitum, the neoconistas have a literally endless supply of money to shovel to thuggish malcontents who will do their bidding anywhere for the dubious prospect of being part of the “American dream.” Not to mention to fuel the massive military octopus straddling the globe.
It may be that the only way to stop this bid for “full spectrum dominance” of the globe will be for a substantial bloc of large powers (BRICS, etc.) to bite the bullet and bring down the dollar through concerted sell-offs and boycotts. We as Americans and/or Westerners would suffer from such a move in the short run, but the world would benefit, and so would we in the long term.
H/T: Common Dreams

Posted by: Cynthia | Feb 21 2014 15:19 utc | 12

Yup, this is more NED/NGO intelligence front-type shit.
Some of the Americans may remember that the Free Tibet thing was suddenly the fake left cause du jour in the US during the mid-90s really starting with the Tibet Freedom Concerts that were heavily pushed by every fake left celebrity on the docket especially the Beastie Boys and Richard Gere I’m sure in part to deflect awareness of that other occupation. Gee, which one would that be? (whistles)
It was a time of full-throttled New Agey horsesh!te and the rise of what this write called the Western Delusions althougth I would argue that these “delusions” were rather purposefully crafted meta-narratives served up and dished out by US intel agencies and their stooges to mask imperial aggression. The piece is from 2008 and speaks from an post-colonialism slant but I think accurately describes how these “delusions” have gripped the minds of the fake left as well as it touches on a number of relevant points including the Olympics, Tibet and Ukraine.

All this led to a worldview, dominant in the West, particularly among intellectuals, and even (if not especially) among liberal or leftist intellectuals, which may be called the Great Western Delusion. According to that view, the world, especially the Third World, is full of people oppressed by their own governments, run by political dictators and economic mismanagers, and those people only look forward to being helped or supported or liberated (if necessary by military means) by the good, democratic, liberal, open market West. This leads to a large part of the left supporting “democratic revolutions” in Ukraine, Belarus, Lebanon, Zimbabwe, among other places, as well as supporting human rights in China and Tibetan independance.
One of the main weaknesses of the contemporary Western left is precisely that it does not sufficiently take into account, in its worldview, the demise of colonialism when it vigorously embarks on pro-democracy or pro-human rights or pro-minorities campaigns in the Third World. The most recent example of such a campaign is the agitation around the Olympic games in China, particularly virulent in Paris, which is nowadays the capital city of such “humanitarian” imperialism (which has replaced there both marxism and fake 68 revolutionarism). The issue is not whether the “Free Tibet” movement is legitimate or not, or even whether the Dalai Lama is a former slave owner and a stooge of the CIA, but is far more basic: what are “we” (the Western left) hoping to achieve there ? China is not Serbia and is not going to be bombed into submission. We are more ecomonically dependent on them than they are on us, so that economic sanctions (another favorite tool of the humanitarian left) won’t work either.
China remembers its subjugation to foreign powers and its dismemberment just as much as we remember WW2 and the holocaust. China also says “never again”. It obviously sees (rightly or wrongly) our current agitation about Tibet as a continuation of our past policies. And that is true of all the Chinese, irrespective of their political beliefs. The best thing we could do for the Tibetans would be to reassure China that we don’t have imperialist ambitions in that part of the world. But all the agitation about Tibet, as well as the installation of US military bases in Central Asia, go exactly in the opposite direction.

Or if video will explain things to people better, just try and sit through 2 minutes of fake left hero du jour Russel Brand speaking to/fawning over the Dali Lama.
Adding I was curious about this event: In this interview Brand says that he was personally contacted by the Dali Lama to do a free show for the youth of England – in the wake of the recent rioting – to teach them how not to be so angry and rebellious. Isn’t that nice of him? Why it’s almost like his message dovetails with that of TPTB, huh? COINCIDENCE!
The Dali Lama: servant of empire and helping keep fake left progressives misinformed and docile for over 50 years!
This is the only thing that the Lama should be known for: Gunga lagunga

Posted by: JSorrentine | Feb 21 2014 15:44 utc | 14

“A Color Revolution 2.0 scenario like in Libya, Syria, Venezuela and Ukraine?”
Empire strikes back!!! It is interesting at the time when the empire is facing financial difficulties and has been loosing in just about every (war) front and has China fast approaching as the next #1 economy, and we have the planner in DC attacking just about anyone and everyone. From F..k EU (well, may be that on is deserved), to Ukraine (Russia), China, Iran, South America (in general), seems like the empire in the decline has opted to a policy of chaos across the globe, hoping they can keep every one busy till they can get back on their own feet. Of course, this can also be the recipe for an unexpected and total collapse too!!!
 

Posted by: Rd. | Feb 21 2014 22:16 utc | 16

As far as i know the Dalai Lama is the elected leader of absolutely no one.
Posted by: guest77 | Feb 21, 2014 2:42:05 PM | 15
The Dalai Lama, as I understand it, is the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama, as exhaustively searched for and decided upon by a clique of Elders. It’s similar to a Royal Family but based on perpetuating a ‘spiritual’ entity rather than a ‘blood’ line.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Feb 22 2014 0:09 utc | 18

@Hoarsewhisperer
“clique of Elders”
Sounds very… democratic. 😉

Posted by: guest77 | Feb 22 2014 0:33 utc | 20

@1 Thanks for those. Another photo of warmongers and a “holy man”.

Posted by: guest77 | Feb 22 2014 1:18 utc | 22

@18
the dalai lamas are seen as the reincarnation of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion: its part of tibetan buddhist tradition. They have resolved to return to this world with each rebirth

Posted by: brian | Feb 22 2014 1:51 utc | 24

i thought the muricun engineered open season on chinese starts after 911
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2012/09/open-thread-2012-23.html#c6a00d8341c640e53ef017d3c1c26ea970c
actually, it started way back in the 1959 *uprising* ….
*Air Force pilots working with the CIA asked potential recruits one question: Do you want to kill Chinese?*
http://www.workers.org/ww/ciatibet.html

Posted by: denk | Feb 22 2014 2:20 utc | 26

Johnboy 5
*Brutal, yeah.
Oppressive, sure.*
i once declared on the guardian that china should get a nobel peace prize for its examplary policy on minorities, one anglo gone hysterical n called me names.
actually the facts r all there, i often dare people to find another country with similar preferential treatment to its minorities, so far no taker !
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-hypocrisy-and-danger-of-anti-china-demonstrations/8731

Posted by: denk | Feb 22 2014 2:58 utc | 28

Obama just wanted to personally criticize Llama Boy’s views on gay rights.

Posted by: biklett | Feb 22 2014 4:47 utc | 30

Posted by: ProPeace | Feb 21, 2014 10:54:39 PM | 29
Duff’s fact-free thought experiment is further enfeebled by several stellar/sober comments.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Feb 23 2014 3:18 utc | 32

From the Dalai Lama’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech:

The problems we face today, violent conflicts, destruction of nature, poverty, hunger, and so on, are human-created problems which can be resolved through human effort, understanding and the development of a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. We need to cultivate a universal responsibility for one another and the planet we share. Although I have found my own Buddhist religion helpful in generating love and compassion, even for those we consider our enemies, I am convinced that everyone can develop a good heart and a sense of universal responsibility with or without religion.

This isn’t a sensible plan. It is vapid drivel.

Posted by: ruralito | Feb 23 2014 4:32 utc | 34

@ J. Bradley
I don’t have a problem with what you were saying, except for that the United States is so rich, so powerful, and such a threat to world peace and prosperity that giving it an opening anywhere in the world brings us closer to the ultimate evil: the complete domination of the globe by one power. For whatever righteous reasons you or I might find in a national independence struggle inside one of the few countries able to resist US domination, you can be sure those are not the reasons the butchers of Baghdad, Syria, Libya, and now the Ukraine would find in it.
I don’t have any problem with the Tibetan people seeking more autonomy and greater independence, but when they do so while funded by the power that in reality has no real interest in that goal and whose only interest is in bringing China under its thumb, the issue gets more than a little muddled. I don’t want to get on the side of Tibetan independence, no matter how righteous that concept may or may not be when the end result will be both China and Tibet reduced to subservience to the US. (note: baring true repression, which may or may not be the case here, I don’t think nationalism in itself is a particularly righteous cause)
The fact is that the people of all of these countries are done a disservice in their plight when some unelected leaders (Chalabi comes to mind) jets off to the United States seeking backing for their cause. An unaccountable figure like the Dalai Lama is so dangerous because there is no real way to measure his support inside Tibet, and he may have all kinds of personal or monetary reasons (or is perhaps manipulated in god knows what ways) for throwing his country into chaos. Chaos in which many people end up getting killed all for little or no benefit to them at all. Would a true patriot seek the backing of another country in his struggle? After all, what would have been the effect in the United States if, say, Martin Luther King, Jr. sought a public audience with Khrushchev at the height of the Cold War?
I think it all comes down to this: what honest seeker of justice would seek to find it by joining up with the most criminal country on the planet? It simply doesn’t make any sense. One simply doesn’t make deals with the devil.

Posted by: guest77 | Feb 23 2014 5:14 utc | 36

its really amusing when muricuns sniffed at china’s state controlled media , when they’r being kept in the dark n fed bushit [the mushroom club] by their wonderful free press 24×7 hehehe
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-routine-use-of-fake-images-and-video-footage-by-the-western-media/5370097

Posted by: denk | Feb 23 2014 16:39 utc | 38

ruralito 11
another *white faced* speaking in forked tongue !

Posted by: denk | Feb 23 2014 17:55 utc | 40

@37 Wow. No surprise the United States has found their man.

More than 2,000 Muslims were murdered, and tens of thousands rendered homeless in carefully planned and coordinated attacks of unprecedented savagery.
The killers may have been in touch with police and politicians. A senior police officer and minister, murdered in 2003, claimed that Modi explicitly instructed civil servants and police not to stand in the killers’ way.

I don’t think India will go so easily over to the dark side though. But then, who knows. Once neo-liberal rot is allowed to set in, any country is ripe for fascists to sweep to power.

Posted by: guest77 | Feb 23 2014 18:53 utc | 42

i’ve put up many exhibits of muricuns legendery hubris before , the stunning arrogance of these clowns often left me speechless.
but u aint seen nuthin yet, everyday these mushrooms keep surpassing themselves.
on the current lama , bama drama
other than the usual *china killed millions in tibet, china’s brutal rule, brutal crackdown on peaceful protestors* bs, one theme sticks out.
*tell the chinese to fuck off , stop meddling in ur internal affair.
ask them to mind their own fucking business* !!!
potus openly consorting with cia asset hdml, who’s responsible for many ethnic violence in china, but china is the one who’s meddling in muricun affair, china is the one who should mind its own business ???
do these mofo really think they’r god’s chosen people or something ?
p.s.
so many mushrooms, so little time.
banned by atimes, war st journal, nyt, jap times…..

Posted by: denk | Feb 24 2014 9:06 utc | 44

J. Bradley 45
*I do support Obama at least acknowledging in public that we have a problem with China’s treatment of Tibet.*
apparently the irony of a certified war criminal preaching on *human rights* is utterly lost on muricuns like u.

Posted by: denk | Feb 25 2014 5:23 utc | 46