Posted on 11/19/2012 2:07:02 PM PST by Arthurio
As Barack Obama appeared in the home of Myanmar pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon, the U.S. president planted a platonic, but very affectionate, kiss on her cheek (to which she appeared to slightly recoil in embarrassment). This act has surprisingly elicited little or no comment in the global press thus far – quite unusual since public displays of affection represent a grave breach of custom in virtually all Asian countries.
Obama likely did not mean to offend his Burmese hosts, however, as a well-travelled man of the world, he must have known that a kiss – especially one between a man and a woman who are not married; and one delivered to the most famous woman in Southeast Asia – violates local etiquette.-snip-
With respect to Suu Kyi’s apparent ‘backing away’ from Obama’s kiss, another expert on Burma, Frederic K. Lehman, Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois, speculated: “if, indeed, she did back away, possibly it is a personal thing with her and maybe she may have felt it was not to be done in a Burmese context-- she is, after all, a politician and sensitive to how her constituents may feel about her behavior.”
Though the kiss has elicited no diplomatic incidents, Obama did make at least one other blunder during his informal meeting with Suu Kyi.
The Associated Press reported that Obama repeatedly mispronounced her name, though Suu Kyi politely refrained from correcting him.
The president called the Nobel laureate “Aung Yan Suu Kyi,” versus the correct pronunciation: “Ahng Sahn Soo Chee.”
Nile Gardiner, a Washington-based foreign affairs analyst for the Daily Telegraph, commented: “It is rather embarrassing, as well as sad, that the leader of the free world can’t even pronounce the name of the most famous human rights activist on the planet.”
(Excerpt) Read more at ibtimes.com ...
IDIOT.
Obamagabe is perhaps the most crudest president we’ve ever had. He’s a complete diplomatic moron.
"Aung Saung Suu Kyi, who EARNED her Nobel Peace Prize....."
LOL!
Aw, dag; dude was just vending his heterosexual street creds.
Too bad it was not in some wild islamic nation.
Try it in certain Muslim countries and you could wake up with your head missing.
BO, of all people, ought to know that, growing up in Indonesia.
No No you have it all wrong Barack Hussein is a genius. According to the media it was George W. Bush who was an idiot. I miss George W. every time I hear Obozo speak it’s like a small child talking to grandparents all generalities no substance.
Too bad it was not in some wild islamic nation.
then Obama would be all over a guy
what a complete idiot.
Obama never MEANS to offend - but he goes right ahead and does it anyway. After all, he will be excused for just about anything, because, you know, he is “black” and the world gives a pass to the “oppressed black folk” of America. America treated black folks so shamefully, doncha know, and they can be “bad as they wanta be”.
And this guy is “likeable”?
Will the lapdog media hound Obama about making this unforgivable gaffe??
The boy did it on Purpose, not near as
stupid as he acts.
No. It's not a "gaffe". "Gaffe" has no objective meaning; "gaffe" exists only in the mind of Big Media. Bath-house Barry will never commit a "gaffe", no matter how boorish, inept, or stupid his behaviour, because Big Media will never call it a "gaffe".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNRXGRFJdDY If Ubama was a (R) this would be national news.
That doesn’t look like a diplomatic kiss...that looks more like he was rounding first, headed for second base.
Obama probably thinks the name of the most famous human rights advocate on the planet is pronounced "Jesse Jackson" or "Jimmy Carter."
The King can do no wrong.
My Gosh....Has he been hanging out with Bill Clinton??
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