Opportunity Missed

Yesterday President Bush announced that he will attend the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. His decision is regrettable -- a missed opportunity for the United States of America to stand strong for the anguished people of Darfur and Burma as well as for the Tibetans in their long struggle for what is rightly theirs. It was also an opportunity to express solidarity with those Chinese citizens whose human rights are being denied. It was an opportunity to demonstrate moral leadership. It was a golden opportunity now lost and I write this brief blog with a heavy heart.

Read more HuffPost coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Comments

[steamboat]

Mia, its damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. If he doesn't go to China, half the folks on this blog would be up-in-arms because he dissed powerful China. Whom we need, especially in dealing with NKorea. And besides, where were alot of you people in the late 90's when the repression/genocide in Sudan was at its greatest? I was involved with Christian Solidarity International and none of you folks wanted to be involved then. Why? CSI on one occasion got freed over 2000 Black Sudanese from their Arab repressers. Another time 1600. And how about TOTAL committment from some of your pals. Why haven't you criticized George Clooney? He is saying one thing, but then turned around and accepted doing an endorsement from a Swiss Watch Company that does business with Sudan. All for the mighty dollar. Calling out some of these folks should also be done.

[LehiBoy]

Bush has no moral authority in the world, so not attending would have no appreciable impact. As a lame-duck President that everyone is wanting to leave, he is sucking whatever benefits he can while he can.

Just leave already!