Posted on 09/16/2009 7:30:55 AM PDT by Rookie Cookie
Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser and assistant to US President Barack Obama [ Images ], accompanied by Maria Otero, the Undersecretary for Democracy and Global Affairs in the US State Department, visited Dharamshala [ Images ] on September 14, and met the Dalai Lama [ Images ] and Samdhong Rinpoche, the prime minister of the Tibetan-government-in-exile.
The Dalai Lama is to visit the US next month in response to long-pending invitations from US non-governmental organisations supporting the Tibetan cause. During the course of his stay, he had also planned to visit Washington, DC and his supporters in the US were trying to arrange a courtesy call on Obama. The Dalai Lama and his advisers were hopeful of the courtesy call materialising despite opposition from China.
This was the first time that a team of US officials including a presidential aide had visited Dharamshala before a planned visit by the Dalai Lama to Washington, DC. This gave rise to euphoric expectations in Dharamshala that the US officials were coming to finalise the details of a meeting with Obama.
There was considerable disappointment in the Dalai Lama's entourage when it turned out that the two officials had specially flown to Dharamshala to request the Dalai Lama not to visit Washington, DC before Obama's first visit to China scheduled for November.
Obama is reportedly worried that any meeting with the Dalai Lama before his visit to China might spoil the atmosphere for his talks with the Chinese leaders.
The two officials are reported to have sought the Dalai Lama's understanding for Obama's inability to meet him. They are also reported to have promised that during his talks with the Chinese leaders, Obama would take up the issue of the revival of the dialogue between Chinese officials and the Dalai Lama's aides and that he would inform the Dalai Lama of the results of his talks on Tibet [ Images ] in Beijing [ Images ] after his return to Washington, DC.
They said a fresh date for the Dalai Lama's visit to Washington could be discussed after the president returns from China.
There is palpable disappointment in the Dalai Lama's entourage over Obama's lack of enthusiasm for a meeting, which became evident during the discussions with the two US officials. The disappointment was evident in Rinpoche's remarks to journalists on September 15. He said: 'A lot of nations are adopting a policy of appeasement (towards China). Even the US government is doing some kind of appeasement. Today, economic interests are much greater than other interests.'
However, Rinpoche added: 'I understand why Obama is not meeting the Dalai Lama before his Chinese trip. It is common sense. Obama should not irritate the Chinese leadership. China's greatest irritation is His Holiness, wherever he goes.'
The Dalai Lama is going ahead with his plans to visit Arunachal Pradesh in November, which could more or less coincide with Obama's visit to China. The US officials were reported to be worried that the Chinese anger over the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh might come in the way of the success of Obama's promised efforts to persuade Beijing to resume its dialogue with the Dalai Lama.
It is not clear whether they gave any advice in this matter. It is also not yet clear whether the Dalai Lama will go ahead with his visit to Washington, DC next month to meet his Congressional supporters or cut it out of his itinerary in the US.
To lessen the obvious disappointment in Dharamshala, Jarrett assured the Dalai Lama of Obama's interest in protecting the human rights of the Tibetans. A statement issued by the Dalai Lama's office said: 'She (Jarrett) reiterated President Obama's commitment to support the Tibetan people in protecting their distinct religious, linguistic, and cultural heritage and securing respect for their human rights and civil liberties. She said the President commends the Dalai Lama for being consistent in looking for a solution based on Tibetan autonomy with the People's Republic of China. She discussed with His Holiness the best way the US could assist in the resolution for the Tibetan issue, particularly in the light of the first visit by President Obama to China in November.'
Jeeeez that’s a hoot.
A Communist Atheist meets a Buddhist Angel.
The DL would upstage Him by levitating in the Rose Garden?................
Is it possible to obozo to pixx off the Buddhists? What do Buddhists do when they are ticked off?
Meditating on Compassion Bump.
Human rights only go so far when the largest buyer of your government debt to pay for your socialists programs says “shut the f*ck up.”
Set themselves on fire.
President Obama saw nothing wrong with meeting Pope Benedict XVI. The Chinese aren’t too happy with the Pope either, so what’s the problem here?
“Oh, uh, you won’t be re-elected, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness.” So I got that goin’ for me, which is nice.
“Is it possible to obozo to pixx off the Buddhists? What do Buddhists do when they are ticked off?”
Dunno.
Round here they lie down and let the govmnt walk all over them.
No g*ns, you see.
Oh yeah -— and no guts to use them if they had them anyway.
Asians are very meek and docile, unless they are Chicoms, , Mao’s Red Guards,
... or Japanese Red Army (led by a female, who tortured all suspected not-right-thinkers to death.)
Is the USA heading in this direction?
“Sure we SUPPORT you; but we are voluntarily BEHOLDEN to the Communist Chinese; and politics must ALWAYS come before principle, you know.”
Probably racism.
The Dalai Lama IS one of those “yellow” people, you know!
/s
A very high honor.
He flew the CHicom flag last month at the white house lawn, and won’t meet the DL. What a class act this guy is. I remember candidate Obama crowing about being willing to sit and talk with ANY world leader. Guess that only meant Hugo, Castro, Ahmadinijad, etc etc,, but not a peace loving guy like the Dalai Lama.
What a tool this Obama is.
What do Buddhists do when they are ticked off?
Uhmmmm ,,, try to realize that anger cannot exist without an opposite thing that is good, then meditate and try to seek that good. Then they thank you for making them angry because thats how they found the good. Or something like that. But if they get super pissed, they torch theirself.
What a sniveling cowardly administration.
The Dalai Lama was invited to address Congress and was personally greeted by George Bush more than once. The Chinese were streamed. They got over it.
Guess they own Oboomba, they sure as heck own a good deal of our debt.
Given a choice between freedom and tyranny, Obama has always chosen tyranny.
Heavy hitter, the Lama
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