Bush Security Adviser Stephen Hadley Can't Tell The Difference Between Nepal And Tibet

President Bush's National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley appeared on ABC's "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos and repeatedly confused Nepal and Tibet.

Discussing how Bush has "no reason not to go" to this summer's Olympic games in Beijing and how boycotting them would be wrong, Hadley discussed the outcry over Tibet and the US response, only he kept saying Nepal.

"If countries are really concerned about Nepal, we shouldn't have this sort of non-issue of opening ceremonies or not. They should do the hard work of quiet diplomacy to urge the Chinese government -- in their interest -- to take advantage of this opportunity to do something," Hadley said.

He went on, "The way to deal with the issue of Nepal is not by some -- a statement that you're not going to the opening ceremonies and say, therefore, I checked the Nepal box."

And it didn't end there. "What he's doing on Nepal is what we think the international community ought to be doing, which is approaching the Chinese privately through diplomatic channels and sending a very firm message of concern for human rights, a concern for what's happening in Nepal, urging the Chinese government to understand that it is in their interest to reach out to representatives of the Dalai Lama, and to show, while the whole world is watching China, that they are determined to treat their citizens with dignity and respect. There is an opportunity here."

Nepal, which shares a border with Tibet and which is an independent constitutional monarchy, has about 29 million people, is 10% Buddhist and is not the home of the Dalai Lama.

Video of the horrendous gaffe below:

Comments

[wm1066]

CNN is too busy lying about what Obama said and won't have time to report on this.
They gin up fake outrage so they don't have to talk sbout the real outrage.
Notice they don't talk about McCains stupid remarks.

[TheRebel82]

Doesnt the Bush administration have someone COMPETENT working for them? Just ONE person is all I ask as a citizen and tax payer.

[tea in the harbor]

They're looking up that word right now, as soon as it goes through the spin factory they'll get back to you!

[Wintergreen4President]

Hadley doesn't know his ass from his elbow. And it's hopeless at this point to expect any of the Bush adminisration to know what they're talking about. Worst of all, most Americans don't care.

I was speaking to a friend of mine who is a college professor and he said his students were the most unpolitical bunch he had ever taught. He felt it was because they had nothing at stake. If the draft were reinstated, then maybe they would start to care because it would finally touch their lives.

He did, however, have one student who showed up in class with a t-shirt that said: "Democrats see the glass as half full. Republicans think they own the glass." So maybe there is a glint of hope.

[ylpatriot]

Nope monkey see monkey doo................attaboy brownie good job !!!

[JeanneScott]

Stephanopoulos probably didn't know the difference either... sadly, the way of so-called pundits.

[BatedBreath]

JeanneScott - sounds like you're one of the 30% who still thinks bush is doing a hekofajob. Would you care to elaborate on that opinion? I would really like to hear your side.

[MagisterLudi]

Bush advisers are simply typical of American educational level. I noticed many Huffpo posters can't tell the difference either. I would bet 98% of people posting here wouldn't find Nepal on the map. Yet are given to laughably grandiose sweeping statements about the world. As far back as Tocqueville noticed that Americans are given to bombastic pronouncements on subjects they are wholly ignorant off. Bush idiots are simply following a trend.

[Bushwillresign]

I believe Nepal is somewhere in Maine? Or Georgia? How about Texas? I seen it somewhere.

[MagisterLudi]

:-)

[ErnestineBass]

Nepal is in Florida...duh!

heh heh :-}

[Meah]

Know where Bhutan is?

[livesimply]

Hello?!? National Security Adviser...one would hope a person with this job would be more informed than the "typical" American. Also, if he was unsure of the geography, he should have LOOKED IT UP before talking about it. Most "typical" Americans would at least do that.

[leftLibertarian]

This shyt head Hadley should be sent to Iraq along with Bush and Cheney to fight.

[NotGuilty]

.....but would've ended up in Borneo.

[ErnestineBass]

Didn't they have cannibals in Borneo?

...there's an idea...yeah.

[cbatwins]

This guy is a complete idiot. He said Nepal 7 times. Goes to show he is just another Bush flunky. But this really just speaks to the entire GOP philosophy that if your a country that is occupied by people of color we don't give a damn about you unless we can get billions from you are steal you natural resources.

[biwee]

Hadley is as incompetent as Cockroach Condi, the Godmother of Qana!!

[mari2JJ]

Of course. Bush would naturally NOT want any brainy staff since they would obviously outshine him in the brain department. Bush leads the list of dull witted Presidents by a huge stretch. He simply lacks the drive to be educated, he was a play boy as he was growing up and while he was in college. As I said, no surprise he gathered a host of dull witted folks around him so he would not seem so dumb.

[ceciboloca]

All I want to know is why didn't George jump and call him on his multiple repetitions of the Nepal gaffe? I suspect it is because he was so intent and focused on the part of the question he wanted answered about Bush going to the opening ceremony of the Olympics that he did not even notice Hadley was confounding Nepal for Tibet. Which goes to show you, George is a lousy listener. Ergo a lousy journalist.

[CBS]

GS is not even a journalist.....check out his background here....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Stephanopoulos

[Meah]

You must be young. Old G.S. helped get Bubba elected.

[AurigaRa]

maybe George doesn't know.

Another of thousands of reasons not to vote republican.

[Meah]

And of course John wouldn't know.

[iratior]

What proof have you that George Stephanopoulos didn't notice Hadley's gaffe? Since when is it a journalist's responsibility to correct a public official's misstatements? Mr. Hadley obviously didn't know the difference between Nepal and TIbet. Perhaps Mr. Stephanopoulos's questioning was cleverly designed both to make that clear, and to discuss whether Bush would attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics. If that was the case, his journalism was not lousy, but rather excellent, because he got the truth before the public -- maybe not what Republicans wanted it to hear, but the truth nevertheless.

[situationcritical]

It kinda is the responsibility of the journalist to correct misstatements - from anybody.

[lisakaz]

Most ppl in this country can't either but you SHOULD expect better from the WH. Sheesh. These moroons can't leave quick enough.

[gurukalehuru]

Sadly, there will be no repercussions. Both Hadley and Stephanopoulos will keep their jobs.

[NightRider]

Most Americans could not find Kentucky or Nebraska on their own map let alone Tibet or Nepal.

Heck, 4000 plus dead Americans in Iraq and John McCain don't know the difference between Shias and Sunnis.

But we love our Flag pin.

[youknowwhat]

Just think, if McCain is president he'll be using pretty much the same advisers that bush is using. These neocons are in this take over the country mode for the long run. As long as they are not challenged by these so called news hosts, this crap will keep coming out of their mouths.

[Americanium]

Conservatism is organized hypocrisy.

[HuffyChick]

George should have at least had the pleasure of calling him on it!
Maybe they just just want to take us back to the times of "Wag The Dog"......where is Michael Moore when you need him?

[nyboomer]

Since when has it been a requirement among conservatives that one be well versed in the topic one is spouting off about?

Ignorance as well as arrogance are the hallmarks of the current administration.