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The 2008 Nazi Olympics

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By CB Liddell

Back in 1936, a certain country used the Olympic Games to showcase the achievements of its totalitarian regime. Visitors were impressed by signs of economic progress, including a new national freeway system; amazed at technological innovations, like the first public use of live TV coverage; and awed by the orderly nature of a society where the police had the whip hand. Even the local athletes put on a good show. Apart from some unpopular successes for certain U.S. athletes of color, the host country easily topped the medal table, with 33 golds to the USA’s 24.

Now, 72 years later, we are to be treated to a similar spectacle — the Beijing Olympics, when another ascendant totalitarian power will pull out all the stops in an attempt to promote its economy, society and political system. But what, exactly, is China’s political system?

Although it claims to be a communist country, China can be more accurately described as a fascist state. Due largely to the horrific events of World War II, the word “fascism” and “fascist” are now terms charged with extreme emotions. But looked at in terms of political science, fascism is a system of state power that utilizes nationalism and big business to strengthen a country economically, industrially and militarily, especially when the country feels disadvantaged by the existing global system. In the past, Italy, Germany and Japan turned to fascism in an attempt to redress the power balance of what they saw as a biased international system that favored the main capitalist and colonial powers. Now China is doing something similar.

Instead of public ownership of the means of production and the equitable distribution of wealth that should characterize a communist system, the so-called Chinese Communist Party encourages big business, billionaires and bling. China is now a land of gross inequalities populated by high-class hookers and low-paid factory workers, a place where trendy consumer goods are promoted alongside the increasingly hollow platitudes of socialism.

The internationalist aspect of communism is merely used as a means of extending China’s influence in Africa, whose raw materials the Chinese covet but are too weak to control directly. Meanwhile, closer to home, under the umbrella of growing military might, Chinese nationalism has become increasingly virulent, with constant threats aimed at the Taiwanese or anyone who supports the independence of the Tibetans or Uighurs. Here in Tokyo, we get a front-row seat any time Japan does something that displeases the Chinese government — from visiting Yasukuni Shrine to complaining about poisoned gyoza. Then, we’ll see the Chinese rent-a-mob out there in force with its nationalistic slogans about “great China” and “little Japan.”

China’s role in the global economy is also interesting. Happy to be the “world producer” to America’s role as the “world consumer,” the Chinese government keeps the yuan low and exports high. While America closes factories and builds shopping malls, China builds steel plants and infrastructure, slowly altering the balance of power and transforming itself into the world’s major power. All this with a one party state, no democracy and oppression of dissent.

The big assumption is that involving China in the world economy like this will tie its interests to ours and promote Chinese democracy. In the meantime, China gets thousands of new factories and hundreds of millions of workers inured to hard labor and shortages, while the West gets to play with its credit cards. Chinese democracy, meanwhile, is left securely on the back burner.

In 1936, the very year of the Berlin Olympics, top Nazi Hermann Goering called on German workers to make greater sacrifices in the nation’s drive to become industrially and militarily powerful. “Guns will make us powerful; butter will only make us fat,” he famously said. China’s role in the world economy is a clear case of “guns instead of butter.”

Recently, the film director Steven Spielberg called attention to China’s role in the ethnic massacres taking place in Darfur, a province of the Republic of Sudan, whose government China supports by trading, supplying weapons, and using its U.N. Security Council veto when necessary.

Spielberg’s decision to boycott the Olympics soon came under attack by critics who suggested that what we needed was “constructive engagement” with the Chinese. It might chill some of us to remember that exactly the same arguments were used back in 1936, when many had reservations about attending Hitler’s Olympics.

Of course, each nation — including China — has a sovereign right to develop its industry, economy, and even military power in whichever way it likes. But at the same time, the rest of the world should do a better job of recognizing what’s really going on: a powerful one-party state is using our greed for cheap consumer goods to gradually transform itself into the biggest concentration of industrial muscle on earth, while using the Olympics to send out a “dog whistle signal” that a new superpower has arrived and expects to be obeyed.

This commentary originally appeared in Metropolis magazine (www.metropolis.co.jp)

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

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A well written and well thought out article. Don't go the Chinese Olympics. Besides fascism and bad food the toilets are horrendous enough to make a maggot gag.

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I think China is decades away from level of economic power portrayed in articles like this one. Remember the per capita income of a Japanese is 29K in USD per person. 39k per person in the US. China is 1700 USD per person. Long way to go ....long long way to go.

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Do not boycott the Olympics. It is supposed to be a gathering of sport and politics should keep away. However, I am not altogether surprised that this one-sided piece of political journalism comes from CB Liddell, again. Comparing the Chinese to the Nazis ? I would be interested to know what nationality this author is, because if CB Liddell is American or British or French or Australian then this whole article would be very hypocritical would it not ? A message for you CB Liddell, never boycott the Olympic Games because of your political disagreements.

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How ridiculous. The comparison of the Chinese regiem to the Nazis is either valid or it is not; the author's nationality is totally irrelevant.

I'm not sure I can support a boycott; the athletes involved have trained their entire lives for this moment, and it is a shame when such events are sullied by politics. However, the point of the article is to demonstrate that the Olypics have been used politically before (there are many other examples), and it really isn't "just about sports" (even though it should be). China is attempting to use the Games to its advantage. It is therefore appropriate that those opposed to the regiem and its abuses take the opportunity to demonstrate against it.

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The Olympic games have always been about politics. "Hitler initially held the Olympics in low regard because of their internationalism, but he became an avid supporter after Joseph Goebbels, his Minister of Propaganda, convinced him of their propaganda value." http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/olympics.html

And speaking of hypocritical: the People's Republic of China is one of the record holders in Olympic boykotts, mainly about the name and status of Taiwan.

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If you are an author of an article being critical of one nation because of it's politics and history, you should always be aware of your own home nationality and it's politics and history. An Englishman being critical of China making Tibet a colony would be a hypocrite. An American being critical of China's political imprisonments would also be a hypocrite. I am not impressed by Chinese politics and their awful human rights record, but I am English therefore I cannot shout too loud myself. One thing I have noticed is how all the anti-Chinese statements have increased in Olympic year. Many, many previous Olympic hosts have used the Games as their political PR exercise. The Americans and the Russians should have been suspended from the Olympics because of their petty little Cold War Olympic boycotts. Leave the Games alone.

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What if the Englishman is also critical of the Empire, or if the American disapproves of his gov'ts actions? You yourself believe China has violated human rights, therefore is it not your duty as a human to speak out about it? How does your nationality matter? "Everyone is doing it" has never been an acceptable excuse for committing crime, and the crimes of one nation do not somehow negate those of another.

Perhaps you are elevating the Olympic Games higher than you should be; the Olympics themselves are frought with pollitics and not a little corruption (take a look at the IOC). Romantic as their image is, they are not pristine.

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I'm getting a bit sick of all this anti-2008 Olympics rubbish. I think most Chinese people have a grudge against their own government (and dare not speak out), but the Olympics is going to be a showcase for their country. For the first half of the 20th century, Europeans, Americans and Japanese have carved up China, making its own people second citizens in their own country. Now that the Chinese are gaining more power, it doesn't seem to sit well with some people. And those who would like to know how the British handled the Tibetans themselves should find out on the internet. The British weren't so gracious to the Tibetans either.

Yes, the Tibetans deserve more religious, cultural and political freedom, but to compare the upcoming Olympics with that of 1936 is an absolute disgrace and belittles what the Jews went through during the war. The Tibetans are not being shipped off to concentration camps or being exterminated.

China is now a land of gross inequalities populated by high-class hookers

Sorry, but you've just lost all credibility with this stupid statement. Of course, just throwing in the word 'facism' willy-nilly doesn't help either. Perhaps the author can use it for modern Japan too, if he goes by his definition.

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Glad to see that there are some balanced educated posters out there (Pukey2). Of course, it would be easier to jump on this anti-China Olympics bandwagon with the likes of Truimvere. Triumvere, where were your anti-China statements before Olympic year ? And despite your way of thinking, some of us still believe that the Olympic Games should be free of world politics. I am also getting sick of this anti-China Olympics media spin. Metropolis magazine should be ashamed that it has succumbed to reactionary journalism from the likes of Liddell with the audacity of printing a political comment entitled the 2008 Nazi Olympics. Shameful.

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Why should JT be shameful when they are reporting the opinions of a large part of the public? I really wouldnt be surprised if some countries do boycott the games - whether it's right or not is a different story.

Get with the times folks - like it or not, the Olympics are about 3 things, politics, business and sport.

I thought this was a very rare thought provoking article. Not the usual drivel we expect from JT.

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I have said very little about China.

If you read my posts, I have simply said that "those oppose the regiem and its abuses" have right to use the Olympics as a protest platform given that China is trying to use them for the opposite purpose.

While that sentence implies that I beleive the Chinese government has committed abuses (and I do - as do you, by your own admission, and as would any unbiased observer of history), it is hardly and "anti-chinese" statement let alone a call to arms. I did not compare the Chinese gov't to the Nazis. I have not leveled any charges at all beyond a basic recognition that China has a poor human rights record. Once again, all I have said is that if you beleive that China is at fault, you should have a right to protest.

"Where my statements have been" is completely irrelivant. As is my nationality. You cannot simply dismiss statements based on the supposition (or groundless presumption, in this case) of "hypocracy". A hypocrite is still capable of speaking the truth.

Wishing the Olympics to be above politics does not make it so. The same goes for other hallowed institutions such as the Nobel Prize committee. Sad, but true.

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No edit function? Errr.... I beg your forgiveness for my many typos and general inability to spell properly!

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jammer, Not sure which part of the mountains you come from, but anyone with the most basic education will read into the current anti-Beijing Olympics media spin. Where were these commentators before China got the Olympics ? It is not a 'thought-provoking' article. It is biased and sensationalist. The 2008 Nazi Olympics ? Come on. Does anyone remember not so long ago the very similar media spin put on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction ? Forget about that murderer Saddam Hussein, Iraq was invaded based on lies and this is a very similar news spin. Yes, Metropolis should be ashamed of publishing an article based on one man's biased political view of the world.

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During the ancient Olymping games, all the parties in a state of war stopped their arguments to provide the athletes with the best conditions for a competition. Sports should not be related to politics, maybe somebody (i.e. that CB Liddell guy) is afraid that China is the first sports power in the world, and soon it will become the first economical power. Leave sports out of politics, many other countries have done worse things against humanity than China, i.e. USA...

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Thank you (Princeska). I am slightly alarmed that an English-language listings magazine for Tokyo (Metropolis) has recruited a very biased political commentator for boosting it's readership. Are the editors at Metropolis not aware that the English speaking community in Tokyo has plenty of Chinese and plenty of politically-aware readers who would be upset with Liddell's articles ? Metropolis is supposed to be a listings magazine. What's with the politics ?

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Dubya,

I find the article manipulative and offensive...

"But looked at in terms of political science, fascism is a system of state power that utilizes nationalism and big business to strengthen a country economically, industrially and militarily, especially when the country feels disadvantaged by the existing global system."

I would like to ask the author does only China fits the fascist definition?

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I guess that everyone is entitled to freedom of speech. And we don't all have the same political beliefs. Plus, I am not a huge fan of Chinese state history and their human rights (or lack of them). But Metropolis is not the right vehicle for someone such as Liddell.

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From people who lived there for several years, and from my own understanding of the Communist Machine, every little piece of "good news" from Red China and Beijing is exactly what the Red Chinese want you t oread, hear, and see. The terrible things, such as repression, oppression, the lack of civil rights, the massive numbers and percentages of the Chinese poplace that are far belwo the poverty level, and their animosity towards anything smacking of freedom (pay attention, USA, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, and the rest of the nations within what the Red Chinese view as their "sphere"), not to mention the horrible working conditions (some friends of mine who lived in Red China for a number of years have told me that for every mining accident that is reported to the rest of the world by the Communist Controlled media, there are a hundred others nobody outside of Red China ever hears about), are all quietly wrapped up and swept under the rug. After all, Red China is now the Big Friendly, wanting everyone in the world, who wishes to see the Best Olympics Ever, to come to their showpiece cities on the Eastern Coast, and see how well Red China has advanced into the 21st Century. No longer is Red China (in their own eyes) the international paraiah that she was decades ago, when the criminal Chiang Kai-shek was run ut of the country, with his corrupted cronies; now, Red China is the economic up-cand-comer of the world! She will show you when you come to Beijing to the Olympics.

Really, folks, this atricle hits the nail squarely on the head! Red China is no different than Nazi Germany was. President Hu Jintao is every bit the Political Boss in Red China, and the controller of everything, just as Adolf Hitler was in Germany for twelve years. The Red Chinese Government is putting on the greatest show, the friendliest smile, and the mosrt welcoming face to try and show the world that she has entered the 21st Century. The problem is, the cockroaches and the rats, if you will, keep popping up and causing all sorts of embarrassment: these cockroaches of the truth, that show that Red China still has a horrid, terrible human rights issue (the Tibetans are doing a grand job of showing just what Red Chinese "justice" looks like), horribly backward with regards to her economic infrastructure (mine explosions, probelms with factory output, product quality control failure), and the yawning disparity between the upper crust and the impoverished and the almost toal absence of any kind of middle class.

Much as in Germany 72 years ago, Red China and Beijing will ptu on a great spectacle. Their games may be deemed and dubbed a success by the world and IOC. However, let us hope that the lessons we learned from Nazi Germany in 1936 are not lost here. As many remember, the 1940 and 1944 games were cancelled thanks in large part to Germany's actions of attempting dominant legitimacy in Europe. Let us hope that Red China doesn't follow suit.

And, by the way, this postor will nto be watching the games. Along with killing Tibetans, the Red Chinese have been killing my Christian brethren for more than half a century......

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Dubya wrote -- " but anyone with the most basic education will read into the current anti-Beijing Olympics media spin."

Yeah, the pro-brutality media coverage is conspicyously lacking. Everywhere except in China, that is.

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Blue Tiger, "the Red Chinese have been killing my Christian brethren for more than half a century" ?? Goodness me, having read through your elongated rant, you really do have a chip on your shoulder about the Chinese don't you. And I'm Christian too thank you very much. Don't you think it's a bit of an insult to the Jewish faith to call the 2008 Olympics the Nazi Olympics ? You compare the Chinese to the Nazi Party, but where are the gas chambers in China ? Where are their tanks invading Asia ? And what Wars have the Chinese initiated recently ?

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So... does it follow that anti-boycott posters here would have also resisted a boycott of the 1936 Olympics? (ie, are you objecting primarily on the basis of the "Purity of Sport" argument, or are you more concerned with the author's sensationalist portrayal of Communist China?)

....wonder how the Tibetans feel about all this?

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One of the 6 major sponsors. Samusung and Coca Cola does not think boycotting will help "their interests" One thing which is different today than that of Germany 1930s is that there are lots stronger coorporate interests.

I would support a boycott. I never thought giving Olympics to China was a good idea but then again the IOC is a corrupt organization and Samarananch was a fascist who supported Franco and USA ofcource is no better than China.

It is a rotten world. We could start to improve it by boycotting the Olympics.

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Yawn... CB Liddell These articule is boring, just throw an example, and many vague complains, the entire thing lack focus, I barely finished reading these piece of bad attempt of get our attention. If the point is Tibet, talk about Tibet and make your case about why you think that the olimpics must to be boycoted. You are make it sound like they are the devil. That kind of aproch dont convince me, in fact these is easely something that can be confused with propaganda. Puff... I simpatize with Tibet, but you are mixing all the things, lowering your credibility. Try to be more objective, the world have enough anti-somenthing already.

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Blue Tiger:

Good post. IT really is spot on with what CB Lidell is saying. Those that fail to recognize history are sure to repeat it. And for those that say this is desecration and discredit to the Jews of the WW II era, please look closely. Are the Chinese controlling the media? Haven't the Chinese said there is no guarantee of privacy for those that attend, whether in their hotel or walking about? Isn't it the Tibetan dissenters that are quietly taken away and never heard from again? Doesn't the government have young people by the thousands monitoring internet traffic, and trying to steer the populace into positive things to say about the government, basically not allowing for any freedom or democracy discussions?

You don't know what is going on there because the media (anything from outside China) is not allowed to report anything. I have a friend in school well inside China, and he says it really is oppressive, and freedoms are few and far between.

Addiu

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Dubya Killer:

What's the meaning of your name? Would it have anything to do with George "Dubya" Bush, by any chance? If so, then I suspect all your arguments aren't likely to be taken too seriously.

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DubyaKiller,

1936 there weren't any gas chambers and invading tanks in Germany. The 1936 Olympics were a huge (and successful) propaganda exercise and this is where the parallels emerge: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/olympics.html

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Blue Tiger: I think a couple of your points are a little over the top, but, in general, agree with the sentiment of your post. And DubyaKiller, when did you get elected as the decision maker on what is or is not appropriate material for JT? If you want to define JT as simply a posting site, that's your call. But don't impose your myopic view on us who like to sometimes read controversial editorials/stories here, and engaging in some healthy dialogue about them.

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The article makes a few "Great Leaps" (no pun intended), but it is thought provoking. It is one persons opinion, that is it. Good on JT to at least , post it to get it out there in the open. Many have made comments as to the claims of the author, and I thought that was what a free society and freedom of the press was about. A person could put out there opinion, and then, in civilized and a rational forum, have his arguments discussed among people.

I do have some reservations about China's heavy handedness in world affairs and they, along with the rest of the nations in the world have acted in ways that have benefitted them at the cost of others.

But it is a good article in regards to getting his thoughts out there and causing a discussion. If you don't agreee, then so be it. But at least you get a chance to see someone else's thoughts and line of thinking.

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What’s the meaning of your name? Would it have anything to do with George “Dubya” Bush, by any chance? If so, then I suspect all your arguments aren’t likely to be taken too seriously.

Curlygene... You have just shown who you are by the statement you made. I concered the source and dropped it

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Dubya, with all due respect:

"Not sure which part of the mountains you come from, but anyone with the most basic education will read into the current anti-Beijing Olympics media spin" Your argument relies on personal attacks - the first sign of weakness.

"It is not a ‘thought-provoking’ article" Thank you for correcting me, clearly I'm not educated enough to have an opinion or to know what provokes my thoughts.

"It [the article] is biased and sensationalist" I challenge you to find one news story/piece of journalism ANYWHERE that doesn't have bias. We all have bias - sheesh talk about basic education.

"Metropolis should be ashamed of publishing an article based on one man’s biased political view of the world." See #3 above.

I agree that the headline is sensationalist - my guess is that it is intended to be so.

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jerseyboy, If you learn to read people's posts properly before jumping to conclusions, I was talking about Metropolis publishing this article, as that is where it was published, not Japan Today. Metropolis is a listings magazine, Japan Today is a news and discussion site. Very different animals indeed. Myopic definitely.

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Curlygene, Explain to me exactly what someone's tag name has to do with their argument ? Does this mean that you will always argue with people with straight hair ?

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Jammer.

Here in the free world, newspapers not only contain "news" that (ideally) has objective information and cold hard facts, but also "columns" by people who "think" and have "opinions" that "express" the biases and thoughts of the author. A column is supposed to be biased. It is putting a point of view out there for people to disagree with.

People say that sports and politics are separate like it is an objective fact when it is not. Fact is that Olympics have always been hijacked by politics. Take the 76 Olympics when all African nations withdrew because of the participation of New Zealand, that supported sporting ties with South Africa. Take the 1980 Olympics that the west boycotted because of USSR's invasion of Afghanistan.

Also, the publicity that sports attract can have positive influences. Look at Seoul - there were huge civil protests by students demanding democracy prior to the 88 games that won international attention, and I would say played a significant part in the end of one party dictatorship there not long after the 1988 Olympics. Students in China demanded freedom 19 years too early it would seem, but people in Tibet are doing exactly what students in Korea did back then, and who knows, the embarrassment may cause similar change there.

The sports embargo on South Africa was also a palpable way that people there, isolated from the world in every other way, were made to feel that their government was wrong about apartheid, in spite of what it told them to think. The facts are that the current government in China is a totalitarian regime, that does abuse its power to abuse the basic human rights of its citizens, and has a long history of crimes against its people that can certainly be compared alongside the excesses of the Nazis. The question is whether the world decides to let this be another 1936 Olympics that reinforces the dictatorship putting on the show, or if they want it to be another 1988 Olympics that shines a light on the country and brings about positive changes in democracy and human rights for the citizens of that country.

Sports and politics can be linked in positive ways, and I hope that his proves to be such an example.

Peace

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A name (and the implied politics there in) is not important, but somehow a nationality is?

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So, DubyaKiller, you thin it is an insult to the Jews to equate these upcoming Olympics with the '36 games in Nazi Germany? You ask where are the communists tanks, gas chambers, belligerence, et. al.? How about firing squads, where Christians have been killedi n Communist Red China? How about the labour camps throughout the mainland where Christians, Uighurs, and Tibetans -- not to mention Chinese royalists and nationalists who had the misfortune to be left behind when Chiang Kai-shek was forced out -- are working themselves into deathly exhaustion, merely for disagreeing with the Red Chinese Government or promulgating a faith that Comnmunism disagrees with? How about the so-called "re-education camps" where conscienscious objectors to the government Red China are routinely sent (if they aren't executed)? Could we equate them with the Concentration Camps of the Nazi Germans? how about Chairman Mao, who is reported to have ordered the executions of tens of millions of Chinese for the simple reason that they opposed his "revolution", his govenrment, and his policies? How about the Nationalist Government and regime on Taiwan? Hasn't Red China continuously threatened the Republic of China on Taiwan with extinction and invasion should she ever declare to the world her independence? When, DubyaKiller, is enough going to be enough for you to see that Red China is really no different than Nazi Germany was in 1936? In 1936, just so you know, Hitler and Nazi Germany had also not invaded anyone, but they were surely building up their military arsenal (and it is interesting that Nazi Germany began -- in 1936 -- to supply Francisco Franco with weapons, expertise, and personnel in his revolution against the Spanish Crown, that same year). Need you, also, DubyaKiller, be reminded of Darfur? Is that not instigation against the rest of the world, namely the USA, Great Britain, and France, who wish to see the people of Darfur in peace, instead of the genocide they are experiencing? If Red China -- with her veto power in the Security council -- is not instigating the rest of the world by denying the peoople of Darfur justice, peace, and aid, what, then,DubyaKiller, is your definition of instigation?

Further, DubyaKiller, if you are a Christian, why such a username, that you use in mocking of the US President? Does the Bible say to mock our elected leadership, or to pray for them? I won't say that you are or are not a Christian -- I must take your word of testimony and believe you -- but I will say that you have no place to use your Christianity to question my understanding of Red China nor her international motives if you insist on using a name that mocks a sitting US President....

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The_Sicilian: thank you, and, yes, it is sad to see people here who are ignoring history: it will be repeated if Red China gets a pass just as the Nazi Germans id in '36....

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Blue Tiger, Really no need for me to preach on at length and I'll keep it short. What on earth does Christianity have to do with elected political leaders of the western world ? Are they elected by the church ? No. Are they spiritual people ? Not really. The Bible will say not to drop bombs on babies no matter what your cause or revenge is. The Bible will not say that we have to pray for our "elected leadership". What are you going on about ?

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We do not live in a free world btw. We live in an illusion thinking we live in a free world. We live within the framework of what the government allows us and that is not very much. China is however less free than other places but that does not make other places like Japan free. Just more free than China.

US, Israel too should also be boycotted from the international arena much like how Yugoslavia and South Africa was.

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motobujon,

Mate, have you cracked my secret identity? If so, cool! Secondly, what does that second sentence of yours mean, sorry?

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dubyakiller,

I wouldn't go calling myself dubyalover, mate, unless I wanted to be seen as a very right wing conservative, and have people look for that bias in my postings.

Anyhow, my name just refers to an old joke about myself that I still find amusing.

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Hiko,

I'm not sure why you addressed me specifically with your post but I thank you for your attention none the less.

Hey, if you think news (with or without columns) in the "free world" (not sure what this means) is objective and not bias than we agree to disagree - simple. I suppose you think the Mainichi Shinbun and the Yomiuri Shinbun dont post news stories to satisfy their own differing political views? The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian in the UK, Globe 'n Mail and National Post in Canada - each representing differing political views and spewing their doctrines in "news"papers. Media and Olympics are largely about politics and power. I'm not saying I like it this way, it's just the way I see it.

If you think the olympics and politics are separate than once again we agree to disagree. In an ideal world the olympics would be purely about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in sport. I would much prefer them to be like this, however our forefathers have created a different olympics over the decades. They have created an olympics about politics/power, business/money and - sport. We can complain about "the system" until the sun comes up, but that doesnt change what the olympics are today.

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The article defined fascism as "a system of state power that utilizes nationalism and big business to strengthen a country economically, industrially and militarily, especially when the country feels disadvantaged by the existing global system."

I thought that definition fits America much more than China. Just compare how much each have spent on military in the last 10 years. Not saying China should not be criticised, but America does fit the definition to a T.

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USA have limited resources and started a war in the middle east for redistribution of the natural resources, in the same way fascist Germany or Japan started a war last century... And China is not the only country in the world that could be accused of ignoring basic human rights. Calling China a fascist country shows disrespect to history and to the readers...

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As seems to be typical around here, an article that has nothing to do with the US is inexplicably spammed with anti-American comments.

Red Herring. Even if the USA is a bad an offender as you beleive, that does absolutely nothing to justify or ammeliorate the conditions in China. Either they warrent protest, or they do not.

Lets try this from another angle, as my last question was ignored. For those harboring anti-American sentiments: "Would it be acceptable to boycott an American (or Israeli, if that floats your boat) Olympics if you believed that that country was guilty of suppressing human rights?"

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You say "anti-American" as if it was swearing against one's own mother. America is a state like all others, get over it already.

I don't think the Olympics should be boycotted, but neither do I think China should not be held to account, just like any other nation.

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Thank you for answering the question!

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I think the author should have used narrower definition of “fascism”. The Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines fascism as “a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.”

In China, Hu Jintao has more complete power than Emperor Hirohito, not to say Pres Bush. There is little doubt Hu has been forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism in Tibet. President Hu and the CCP have been controlling all industry, commerce, media, etc. in China. Chinese nationally sponsored media has been appealing to nationalism of Han Chinese, and now more and more Han people support even more aggressive oppression over Tibet. It appears Han Chinese generally believes the complete cultural assimilation of Tibetans into superior Han culture is a right thing to do. This is very similar to Japanese fascists who tried to assimilate Koreans into Japanese culture which they believed to be superior. I think it’s safe to say China is a fascist country.

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Wow a decent commentary unlike the rant against Japanese law enforcement by whatever that dude's name was who re-arranged someone's face with a beer bottle. I think it is an excellent parallel to draw between the PRC and Nazi Germany at the time of the 1936 Olympics. Germany was on the build militarily and obviously had ambitions far beyond its borders. The PRC is doing the same thing while looking for a world stage to show of its fabulous growth and modernization. Do not forget no matter the finesse of the laser light shows at the opening ceremonies that the PRC is a country that threatens its neighbors and jails or kills disidents. You can't put lip stick on a pig...

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Jammer. Oops, sorry mate - I skimmed through and picked up your criticism of Dubya's stuff, among all the other posts complaining that this was "biased" and picked you out, quite incorrectly. Apologies mate, I see we agree - the point was intended at those criticizing CB Liddel (with whom I have other general quality issues, but not such great ones today) for daring to make a sensationalist comparison.

I meant to target it at DubyaKiller.

DubyaKiller - incidentally, why are you getting defensive about your handle? You knew that this would offend certain people. I couldn't care less, but it is little different to the title of the article - designed to offend and grab attention.

Peace

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"What constitutes a definition of fascism and fascist governments is a highly disputed subject that has proved complicated and contentious. Historians, political scientists, and other scholars have engaged in long and furious debates concerning the exact nature of fascism and its core tenets.

Most scholars agree that a "fascist regime" is foremost an authoritarian form of government, although not all authoritarian regimes are fascist. Authoritarianism is thus a defining characteristic, but most scholars will say that more distinguishing traits are needed to make an authoritarian regime fascist.

Similarly, fascism as an ideology is also hard to define. Originally, "fascism" referred to a political movement that existed in a single country (Italy) for less than 30 years and ruled the country from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. Clearly, if the definition is restricted to the original Italian Fascism, then "fascism" has little significance outside of Italian politics. Most scholars prefer to use the word "fascism" in a more general sense, to refer to an ideology (or group of ideologies) that was influential in many countries at many different times. For this purpose, they have sought to identify a "fascist minimum" - that is, the minimum conditions that a certain political group must meet in order to be considered fascist. Several scholars have inspected the apocalyptic, millennial and millenarian aspects of fascism."

I fully agree that China is a facist country. Under the following definition.

"Fascism is an authoritarian political ideology (generally tied to a mass movement) that considers the individual subordinate to the interests of the state, party or society as a whole."

Because, China is big and diverse they seek to forge a type of national unity by supress concepts of ethnic, cultural, racial, and religious groups and replace it with the Chinese Comunist Party. Here born the violations to human rights, by attacs or limitations to religions, cultures and critics to the Party.

But I disagree with the opinion that Hu Jintao have more power than Hiroito or Bush. In the time of Mao, the official cult to him was undeniable. hes power was of the an old Chinese Emperor. But in today, Hu Jintao dont have full control like a single dictator. The gov is controled by a single party and the complexity of the structre of the Chinese Comunist Party is that he have to share power with others for stay like the visible head. Also the many ministries and the local governors, that can act like dictators inside the limits of their realms.

I fell bad for the Chinese. I think that must to be terrible lack the freedoms that we have granted like, elect our leaders, to pray to any good in the way we like, to express our critics to the gov and so on. But I just remember Tianamen and how the world gobernaments and conpanies given their backs to the chinese asking for freedom. What can I say? I am disapinted, I have few spectations about companies or countries boycoting the Olimpics. We can talk long about rigth ang wrong. I guess that now I think that changes are going to come slowly. Want to make a change? Start by wrinting better CB Liddell, if you dont say nothing new, at least say it better. And some of the readers ned to read more about China before make statments based on supositions, lower the quality of your posts. To my non-profesional opinion, CCP worrie more about keep the grip on the population than in invading neigbors. With the possible exeption of Taiwan, but that is for another topic.

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Interesting to note that the first political leader to boykott the opening ceremony of the Olympics happens to be Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk ("The presence of politicians at the Games' inauguration seems inappropriate.") Prombtly followed by Czech president Vaclav Klaus. And then German chancellor Angela Merkel who grew up in communist East Germany.

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I notice some people are calling for others to stop injecting politics into the 2008 Olympics, but you seem to have a large blind spot in regard to how China is setting up the Olympics themselves.

Tibet wants to be free of Chinese domination.

China wants to be a superpower.

My suggestion is to not watch the Olympics, or go to it if you disagree with it, which doesn't change anything for me anyways.

Nothing is sacred about the Olympics when put into practice, it has high ideals, but it never reflects reality.

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mareo2 defined fascism as “an authoritarian political ideology (generally tied to a mass movement) that considers the individual subordinate to the interests of the state, party or society as a whole.”

How then is fascism distinguishable from cultural features of a society? Which nation in North East Asia does not "consider the individual subordinate to the interests of the state, party or society as a whole.” To varying degrees the whole is considered more important than the individual. One could used that definition to describe Japan as fascist, which I do not think is the case.

Confucism can also be described in terms of fascism.

The definition seems to favour a Eurocentric political bias based on philosophical, cultural and religious assumptions that are quite different in China, Japan, and the Koreas. Liddell's article is just picking at low hanging fruit - a lot of noise signifying little. In other words, using fascism as a pretext to criticize China may be self-satisfying, but does little to address the problems or find solutions.

Clearly China needs to find an equitable solution to its Tibet problems but the solutions will most likely come from within rather from foreign voices wishing China was more like America or Europe.

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Athletes and coaches should not boycott the Olympics, but everyone else should.

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Nice analogy between 2008 and 1936, wonder where the idea came from, wink wink.

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What should you do if you want to boycott the Olympics by not watching TV, but don't want to miss the whole mess that will inevitably go down?

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"Nazi Olympics" is just inappropriate. "Stasi Olympics" is much more apropos.

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rjd jr, Be serious, read my piece. It is in reference to him doing the killing, which is something I personally have not done, nor wish to. He certainly has though.

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japan, USA....two exemplary countries of freedom and democracy.

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Kagunlapell - in comparison to China (the topic of this discussion), I would say "absolutely". Peace

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Hopefully, not Nazis b/c they have a sophisticated nuclear delivery platform.

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Watching or not watching the Olympics changes absolutely nothing. If you want to do something constructive, albeit minimal, enjoy the Olympics and pay attention to who the sponsors are, then boycott them. Funny how this whole thing broke out just before the Olympics though!

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After reading quotes from pro communist china posters, and having studied Asian history and culture, and trying really hard to be effective....I still find that Han-Chinas practice of enveloping and assimilating other ethnicities and cultures, and obliterating all religeon and spirituality, and brutally stamping out of any dissention...well scary to say the least.

Dont be offended or feel the need to protect the dignity of the Jewish people, the comparison of China today and nazi germany is a fair one. Of course the situations are different, its impossible for two identical situations, but there are disturbing simiarities. Stop using the 'dont insult Jewish and belittle the holocaust' argument to belittle any other point.

I think alot of gut instinct and moral/intellectual ideals sometimes conflict.By this I mean We dont want a brutal China, with a vastly more numerous polulation, growing too big for thier play pen. On the other hand~ who are we to decide who should be allowed to grow right? Maybe assimilation of all the world will end all the wars? I doubt it but maybe.

I think what disturbs me the most is that while I like the idea of one~world, China seems to be actively pursuing the idea of one China, regardless of how the different groups getting dragged in feel. Just because they arent invading right now doesnt mean it cant come to that. They have plenty of role models to copy, they just need to finish stamping the last embers of freedom at home, and building up that strength so as to be able to stamp out the big flames elsewhere.

I know that Chinese people want to defend thier country, but you arent. You are defending the regime, not the people or the place.

When Non Chinese sound anti-Chinese, sometimes its a reaction to (quite Natural)fear of being absorbed by the masses of China, along with fear of the growing power of a regime that seems willing to use force in the blink of an eye. Non-Chinese are already a minority in the world, and if Chinas attitude is to try and be the biggest and the best, and eventually the one and only, then the comparison to Nazi Germany is very apt. It certainly seems to me like the the chinese gov't would quite like everyone to be Han Chinese ethnically, culturally, and I suppose politically.

Sorry for not being specific or quoting great texts...just an opinion post. 0_o

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oops, start should read, '...trying really hard to be objective'.

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It's no good

Attempts to demonize the PRC Olympics won't work - both the PRC and the Russian Federation have made the shift to capitalism, and is growing stronger. This trend is based not on special events.

The Clinton Administration made a bad mistake and it is extremely costly. They did not understand the underlying economic/political structures in place and almost a complete failing in understanding multilateral groupings. What is being played out now will produce anxiety on the part of US allies.

I am closely tied to these activities, thus I already knew 60 odd days ago something was to occur since US Agencies personnel were stepping up activities against me. They move when action is initiated in the Pacific.

Comparing the Olympics to the Nazis is understandable, but the causes dates back to the 1990's and the defensive posture taken by the PRC in March 1996 during the Taiwan Strait Crisis. This will just have to play itself out.

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This only breeds more hatred. One thing I found shocking is how once I mentioned to a Japanese coworker that the Dalai Lama preaches non violence, this person says it does not matter and he gave the signal saying that it would be okay to kill Chinese since China has claimed to have killed thousands. This concerns the torch running and the possibility of having police protect routes including Chinese police in other countries to protect the runners. I am Chinese of American descent and I admit it was wrong of what happened in the past, but I thought we have moved and grown up learned from our mistake. Apparently as long as we have people like this and people like the person who wrote the article, we will never really be living in a truly democratic and stable world. It is like the movie Yasukuni being pulled from theaters because of some right wing groups here that claims they are doing it for the pride of their country and do not want to tarnish the image. What is wrong with this picture here. Is Japan or for that matter some of the people here really thinking about democracy or are just saying things to satisfy themselves.

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Apec - no one is comparing the olympics to the Nazis or trying to demonize the olympics. It is the government of China. and the comparisons have some merit.

PRC and Russia both shifted to capitalism, but Russia also became democratic (if only just), and so they are two totally different things. China needs political reform to match its economic development.

Henryo - I don't believe that your Japanese coworker told you it would be okay to kill Chinese since China has claimed to have killed thousands.

In any case, as a Chinese American, you should be quite aware that in spite of the tens of millions of dead killed in China's past, that is not behind protests against the olympic torch (historical wrongoding is what is behind Chinese protests at Japan). The protests are targetted at wrongdoing of the present day regime, from arbitrary arrest of religious and political groups not approved by the communists, to suppression of human rights of muslim and Tibetan authorities, to abuse of worker rights, to aggression towards Taiwan, to the failure of any of those responsible for the Tienenmen massacre to be brought to justice or any kind of accountability for their crimes. These are present day issues - and ones that democracy wouldn't necessarily solve, but would go a long way toward addressing, just as it has in the past in Japan.

Peace

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I guess people shy away from posting the type of opinion I’ve been posting, but I’d like to add one more. China has a lot of good models to follow as someone mentioned above. Two of those models would be Douglas MacArthur in Japan and the British rule in HK. Let me suggest the followings:

China should put Dalai Lama back into the Potala Palace in Lhasa, and let Dalai Lama announce the people to stop rioting. Keep banning the possession of weapons. Allow full Tibetan autonomy but maintain Chinese military bases in Tibet. Exercise authority through the real Tibetan autonomous body rather than exercising authority directly over the Tibetan people. This requires discussions and compromise. Stop Han Chinese migration and confine them to the military area. Allow Tibetans to speak bad Mandarin as opposed to forcing them to speak Mandarin with perfect Beijing accent. Replace Hu Jintao with somebody else who is capable of implementing democratization of Tibet as well as China itself in the long run. I do not think Hu is capable of re-uniting Taiwan either. He is a person who cannot even effectively solve the gyoza problem with Japan. There are many brilliant Chinese people. I don’t understand why he is in charge.
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He is in charge because the people do not have any say. Whoever the regime wants is who they get. ie. Someone that serves their agenda. WIthin the current system noone is ever going to have a chance to step up and change things.

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This is my field way back during my graduate days, so I may have a perverse way of looking at things.

Given how my neighbors been acting, I did start researching this Tibet issue. Very very few analysts would do this, but good background on this can be started by googling "pentagon papers+tibet". Hitting the first five pages, I have been able to find a Nazi/China connection, but not as some would prefer. Take a look, academics can be enlightening.

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Thanks for the suggestion Apecnetworks, I found this one and thought it was interesting:http://www.workers.org/ww/tibet1204.html Of course it has a predetermined outcome, as the dude who wrote it already made his mind up, but there were some very nasty truths that i was not aware of, and all could be easily referenced. I thought his reppeating of teh PRCs policies towards minorities,and also That constitution said that "all Mongolians, Tibetans, Miao, Yao, Koreans and others living in the territory of China shall enjoy the full rights to self-determination."..well, that hasnt quite happened though. There are still serious issues of free speech, and suppression of religeous freedom in China. But at the end of it all, Britain and America being compared to Nazi germany in these papers is no surprise, as I am neither British of American. Perhaps comparison to Rome would be just as good. Amerca and Britain are both Imperialists more than nazis or facists(although these definitions tend to verlap in plaes). Then again China is just some bizzare mutant communist spinoff. So thanks for the heads up again ApecNetworks, it certainly sheds Tibet in a new light, but I still dont see the sun shining out of Chinas butt( not that you said it did, unlike some posters in previous threads). So at the end of all that reading, i dont really know what to make of the Tibet situation now. I think perhaps an autonomous region is an oxy-moron, might as well just be an independent nation state, and let them succed or fail in the worlds eyes as they see fit. At least with independence the country would have the opportunity to drag its ass into the 21st century.

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Workers of the world unite, eh?

I find it humerous that he calls the potential return of the Dahli Lama as "an Imperialist dagger aimed at the heart of China." China has always been an Empire, be it under the old dynasties, or under Mao and his successors. Just because it ran afoul of European imperial powers at one point does not suddenly erase thousands of years imperialist history. It would seem that if the Tibetans were given a choice, they would rather have a homegrown theocrat rather than a foriegn autocrat.

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The 2016 .....title will be the same if Japan "democracy" with their mental sick governors get Olympic here.

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Triumvere; I think the article was referring to if Tibet gained independence with american and british imperial power behind them, as they obviously would have ulterior motives to backing Tibet. But your right, depending on the theocrat and what he allows to go on when in power, though it seems like previous lamas didnt give much of a damn about tibetans outside of the nobles and monks. Definately a bias in the piece but unavoidable. I took it with a grain of salt where its opinion related, but looked on in interest at well sourced references to actual events.

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To Notimpressed:

Your mention of the link,":http://www.workers.org/ww/tibet1204.html", was interesting. My take on that page were:

*"There were many reasons for the interest in Tibet. One State Department expert even suggested that in the age of rocket warfare, Tibet was the ideal center for controlling all of Asia.

George Merrell, the top officer at the U.S. Embassy in India, wrote, "Tibet is in a position of inestimable strategic importance both ideologically and geographically." ("The Making of Modern Tibet," Grunfeld)"*

Since I am in the States, I can sorta see the effort to prop up the Dalai Lama and was familiar to what was written in the Pentagon Papers. The US is quite willing to spend considerable time/effort on Tibet as shown in the links.

After reading your post, I think the US has real problems b/c the religious elite would have great problems getting the average Tibetans (former slaves and serfs) to want a return to a former situation given that they are not slaves/serfs now. That perspective is not one I have considered for along time. As one ages, the more narrow/indepth the thinking is cornered.

In US academics, I do recall the extreme sensitivities to the study of Asia - I knew that I could not ask, "Why?" in any depth b/c a logical line of questioning generally puts specialists on the defensive. The Pentagon Papers does explain some of this and the links attached to it strips the veneer associated w/ it.

Also, in the link, Heinrich Harrer, was interesting.

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apecNetworks* so basically if anyone really wanted to help Tibetans, they would be helping them to govern themselves. They may have traded up slightly with the PRC but its still a long way from self determination. Ive heard a few things about the limits within US academics, Im from NZ and we have politically correct tabboo areas too, but within the Asian studies Department it seemed not too bad. Only thing is when you have someone lecturing on a particular country that they absolutely adore, not much critique gonna happen there. It was an eye opener for me having a teacher of Japanese postwar history, who although a confessed Japanophile, had no qualms with tearing them to pieces. Luckily in NZ, we dont have an agenda, where academics are defending the actions of its own state, and hence watering down the dialogue, basically because hasnt done anywhere near as many things that require staunch defending. When it comes to Domestic issues however, its the same old story but on a smaller scale. I think thats the biggest problem wih alot of American posters, is that they apply the American 'line' that they have been sold and refuse to look at things objectively. ie. Communists are dirty reds etcetc Its just a sstem of state that has (questionable?) merits and drawbacks, just like democracy. To quote Ben Harper... theres good intentions and theres good deeds, but they're as far apart as heaven and hell. Seems to often be the case with all political systems. If only there was a God-King that would sort it all out. Yeh the Harrer stuff was interesting, but Im too lazy to do any further reading lol. Last, The pentagon papers stuff sounded like state sponsored terrorism to me.

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Interesting article.

It does at least give me a new perspective why China invaded, though I'm not going to believe for a moment for altruistic reasons. Tibet is a good base for operations in greater Asia, and if the communist power of the day thought that America or Britain would use it to prevent the spread of communism I can see why they would preempt the take over of Tibet.

Regardless, that is only a revealing history lesson, this however is all about the human condition of China's rule in Tibet.

Tibetans are pissed. They'd like more autonomy if not to regain their independence. Heck, maybe they like to practice their religion without being persecuted.

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Thanks for so attentive of China as a Chinese i m very proud^_^ how could it come out "2008 Olympics & Nazi Olymipics" and the Tibet issue! your history seems got A ,ha!!! someone who want or commented on this , i think he/she should read lots of historic books at first ,or people will laugh at you talk nonsense,and even talk about "democracy" ,Don't demonize Olympics and China,its funny and stupid those so-called "powerful and democratic countries" should have the attitude as it be, This called "big nation pulse",Maybe i will teach you, and Dont look down up you ! Japan is as Japan does makes me think the saying "stupid is as stupid does" isnt the last Crazy/???? (my english is not good ,not to totally express the point)

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Nosunset - nobody is demonizing the olympics, and nobody is demonizing China. Only the communist party of China is being demonized, and it is being demonized in sympathy for its abuse of the Chinese people.

There is a lot of reaction like this is an attack on their country when it is not - it is an attack on the regime that rules China, which is in many ways similar to the fascist regimes that ruled Japan, Germany, Italy and Spain in WWII, and rules North Korea and Cuba today.

China is the victim of the communists - that is why people are protesting. Unless you are a member of the CCP yourself, I don't see why you would be offended.

Peace

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Hikozaemon,thanks for you comment,First ,I want to say ,i m a ordinary people,what i said and did is who an ordinary people would do, Coz i m a Chinese and i love my nation. Second, the "demonize" "CCP",impersonally to say ,its a big question,not a word to say it clear,Mabey misunderstanding between us , One thing can sure is that ,CCP is trying its best for people,though sometimes a Negative news(not sure its authenticity),Its just a small song ,In general CCP doing well ,Everything has its rule!

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nosunset: I hope you dont ever question or speak out against that party "who is doing its best" while you are living in China, you will find out about it. The reason you doubt authenticity of the media is because the CCP denies everything they do wrong, and exaggerate everything they do right. They dont even let the press into Tibet!! lol. Please remember you can love your country without loving the politics or the way they treat thier own people. Do you think tianmen square massacre was fiction? Alot of us, do actually read alot of history books. Some of us study even when we dont go to university anymore. Before you tell us to read history books, remember there are more books outside China than in it, because the CCP destroyed so much literature and culture during the peoples' revolution. If you want to discuss, you have to try not to be on the defensive so quickly. Then you might understand that we are not all against China the country or the people, but the system running it. Just because they are doing well in economics for a small amount of people, what about free speech and what about the majority of people who are struggling?

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To Nosunset:

Politics and the Nazi Olympics aside, you do know there are some huge showdowns coming in the Olympics? Gymnastics? (What happened to the Russians?) Gymnastics is one event where the US, Japan and the PRC either "put up or shut up". I want no boycott primarily b/c of the numerous showdowns. Sports is very revealing, and APEC isn't sooooo different.

Btw, what do you think of the movie, "Tomorrow Never Dies", a James Bond movie? Did you find him "a corrupt, decadent agent from a Western power"?

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Notimpressed,from you metioned you know lots of China and history, in some way has a deeply outsight,you said majority of people who are struggling ,yes you are right, now the poor and rich's gap more and more , it contribute to many reasons ,its very professional about the economic, i think its inevitable

"tianmen square massacre" I do knew it ,its unpublish in China ,But i knew it from many ways ,and know the truth, I think its a action in a special time anassed a special situation,It killed many students ,no matter how many years passed ,in the history its bad effect, its in book ,in history, But in real life , I think the action must be taken in the complex situation. In the world ,everything never be balance,like the war breakout everyday ,for the USA fire the Irak,and the "black list",after the Irak,the next "Irak" will appear,So its the rules , every nation has its local complexion ,culture .language,thought,custom``` So it will be a local way to deal with it , Oh i cannt say ,Coz its too much and complex,And nice to see you ,Do you have an MSN or Email ,maybe we can use that to communicate,Though we have different ideology ,we can be friends~~! My email:n0sunset@163.com !

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nosunset:Im glad you have an open mind there. My main ideology is that the CCP is not doing its best for the people. The main problem with all communist parties, is that its ideology never matches its actions. Im not AMerican either and I see alot of contradictions there that would take forever to get into. Unfortunately no political systems live up to expectations, and excuses offered for wrong doings are never enough for me. I really dont know if there is any right answer anymore for the world. I want to go to sleep and wake up in 500years and see whats progressed.

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I like the words you said "I really dont know if there is any right answer anymore for the world. I want to go to sleep and wake up in 500years and see whats progressed.". that also what i 'v been looking for ,I think there is no right answer ,it depends ,But has a principle——Justice! I think i should sleep for 500years ,lead me into a new balanceable world,But Its impossible ,!!!!haha

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To understand Tibet and its relations to the past as presented in the Pentagon Papers is to understand US Foreign Policy. I am heavily exposed to it, so it may be useful for JT readers to take a look at the training conducted in the US:

http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:VVn6jbCxPlgJ:www.sais-jhu.edu/programs/asia/sea/course_syllabi/ca.fpasia%2520F07_%2520Syllabus.Wise.pdf+pentagon+papers%2Btibet&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=33&gl=us

US Foreign Policy is dependent on covert operations to setup the conditions for military actions in some situations. The above course at SAIS reflects the huge importance the US places on covert action and those who plan it are well trained. It may be something needed to be examined at least in APEC. We must be alert to all possibilities that may affect the 2008 Olympics.

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To understand Tibet and its relations to the past as presented in the Pentagon Papers is to understand US Foreign Policy. I am heavily exposed to it,

The exposure seems to have had a pernicious influence on your posting, Apec. Is it really necessary to link to a bibliography?

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Dalai Lama is a liar, check out Seven Lies about Tibet and His Holiness at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acHkXqik_Bo

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The western media distorted the truth about Tibet roit.

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Dubyakiller: your assertion that one's right to make critical observations of other countries is determined by one's own nationality is ludicrous. What's more, it's seems that you're one of those people to whom appearing to be politically correct is far more important than protesting against real injustices being perpetrated now against real people.

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