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Smart Power: Obama Repeatedly Botches Dignitaries' Names on Foreign Trip
Townhall.com ^ | November 19, 2012 | Guy Benson

Posted on 11/19/2012 7:53:06 PM PST by Kaslin

President "Smart Power" at work.  Oops:
 

As Obama stood next to the world's most recognized democracy icon, he mispronounced her name repeatedly. Ever gracious, Suu Kyi did not correct her American guest for calling her Aung YAN Suu Kyi multiple times during his statement to reporters after their meeting. Proper pronunciation for the Nobel laureate's name is Ahng Sahn Soo Chee. The meeting came after Obama met with Myanmar's reformist new President Thein Sein - a name he also botched. As the two addressed the media, Obama called his counterpart "President Sein," an awkward, slightly affectionate reference that would make most Burmese cringe. Note to presidential advisers: For future rounds of diplomacy, the president of Myanmar is President Thein Sein - on first and second reference.  


These foibles were mentioned in the 20th paragraph of an Associated Press story entitled, "Obama Draws Crowd in Yangon."   Many of the preceding grafs were devoted to quoting adoring comments from Burmese citizens.  I wonder if these "cringe" worthy gaffes would have been relegated to afterthought status had they been committed by Obama's predecessor -- who, as we've all been endlessly informed, was "stupid."  By the way, these name snafus weren't Obama's only errors in his public appearances today.  The Weekly Standard notes that he identified the host nation as "Myanmar," which is the designation preferred by the nation's military junta (which has since ceded power to a "nominally civilian government"):
 

Obama used the word "Myanmar," the preferred terminology of the former military government and currently nominally civilian government, in a spray following the bilat, rather than use "Burma," the former name of the country, and the one preferred by Aung San Suu Kyi as well as the name the U.S. uses. "I've shared with him the fact that I recognize this is just the first steps on what will be a long journey," Obama told reporters, with Thein Sein at his side. "But we think a process of democratic and economic reform here in Myanmar that has been begun by the president is one that can lead to incredible development opportunities.  


The White House says Obama bucked US policy and employed the military junta's preferred term as a "diplomatic courtesy."  Obama extended a similar courtesy to another undeserving actor in the recent past, angering our closest ally while he was at it.  Here's video of today's authoritarian accommodation, via Allahpundit:
 

Obama: Myanmar Visit About Sustaining Momentum

I wonder what Suu Kyi was thinking as she heard the president mispronounce her name and hail her nation by the name imposed by the illegitimate government that imprisoned her


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: burma; obama; obamagaffes; obamateur; theuglyamerican
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1 posted on 11/19/2012 7:53:09 PM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

The Smartest President in the Universe strikes again.


2 posted on 11/19/2012 7:59:47 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: Kaslin

freakin idiot

I’m so glad I pay so much money for the state dept to keep him up to date on those hard to ferret out details...

like their NAME

(did she respond by addressing him as president Barry?)


3 posted on 11/19/2012 8:02:23 PM PST by sten (fighting tyranny never goes out of style)
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To: Army Air Corps

The Boy Genius. You would think that his handlers, knowing what they MUST know about him, would work out a simplified system to get him to say the names correctly. Keep it REAL simple. But, the Boy Genius just can’t quit get the hang of it.


4 posted on 11/19/2012 8:04:48 PM PST by fhayek
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To: Kaslin

Because he is “The One”, he can never make a mistake.


5 posted on 11/19/2012 8:08:13 PM PST by Dapper 26
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To: Kaslin
"Pak, Pawkee, Powkee ... what?" BS U aint Obama Pictures, Images and Photos "Let's hear `Camptown Races'!"
6 posted on 11/19/2012 8:13:50 PM PST by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: All armed conservatives.)
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To: Kaslin
Obama spent his 1st term on world apology tour then daily campaign parties.

why is he making these trips now, they don't help US in any way, only add to debt.

He really has very little reason to travel second term...other than he will avoid responsibilities of the office, air force one is used as entertainment/expensive toy and or Valarie Jarret encourages the travel so she can run the show.

7 posted on 11/19/2012 8:15:11 PM PST by opentalk
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To: Dapper 26

8 posted on 11/19/2012 8:18:33 PM PST by haffast
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To: sten

She should have called nim the Communist Narcissist in Chief.


9 posted on 11/19/2012 8:24:51 PM PST by MtnClimber (I did not vote for 0bama, someone else did that!)
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To: sten

She should have called him the Communist Narcissist in Chief.


10 posted on 11/19/2012 8:25:06 PM PST by MtnClimber (I did not vote for 0bama, someone else did that!)
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To: Kaslin

Perhaps Obama should stick to the simple stuff like... Bro, Sista and other ghetto words should be easy enough for him.


11 posted on 11/19/2012 8:42:06 PM PST by Gator113 (WHO gave the order to NOT rescue our men in Benghazi?)
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To: fhayek
The Boy Genius. You would think that his handlers, knowing what they MUST know about him, would work out a simplified system to get him to say the names correctly. Keep it REAL simple. But, the Boy Genius just can’t quit get the hang of it.

Eh, I don't think he's that stupid. It was on purpose. Who knows why.

12 posted on 11/19/2012 8:42:26 PM PST by xjcsa (Ridiculing the ridiculous since the day I was born.)
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To: Kaslin

Now she will have to change her name to match up with the new Official Pronunciation.


13 posted on 11/19/2012 8:43:53 PM PST by bigbob
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To: fhayek

Maybe the boy President didn’t abandon the CIA operatives to their fate. Maybe he just ran to hide under the bed until the event was all over.


14 posted on 11/19/2012 8:43:53 PM PST by RobbyS (Christus rex.)
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To: Kaslin

Now, imagine the American Soviet Media reaction if George W. Bush had done this.


15 posted on 11/19/2012 8:54:27 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: Kaslin

Ignorant, incompetent, and nasty - a bad combination.....


16 posted on 11/19/2012 8:58:45 PM PST by Intolerant in NJ
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To: Kaslin

Obama is as stupid as Biden.


17 posted on 11/19/2012 9:05:29 PM PST by lonestar (It takes a village of idiots to elect a village idiot.)
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To: Kaslin

I have a pretty good idea what she was thinking when he walked away from the car he arrived in after he embraced her in a bear hug and she had to unwrap herself from him, because she then had to turn around and go back to the car and welcome Hillary, whom he had left behind as if he had forgotten she was there. The man is a walking talking fool and a disgrace. But I bet your TV didn’t show that, like ours did in Oz.
Clodhopper visits the palace is what it looked like.


18 posted on 11/19/2012 9:29:36 PM PST by Fred Nerks (fair dinkum)
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To: Army Air Corps
Where's Joe Biden?

Joe should be with them on this trip.
19 posted on 11/19/2012 9:39:26 PM PST by Tainan (Cogito, ergo conservatus sum -- "The Taliban is inside the building")
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To: Kaslin

So it didn’t help that he has a perfect Arabic accent?


20 posted on 11/19/2012 9:44:15 PM PST by Hardraade (http://junipersec.wordpress.com (I will fear no muslim))
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