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© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Asian leaders join Sochi as Obama, others stay away
By KEN MORITSUGU TOKYO©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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nath
Japan needs not worry about Russia allying with China. No country likes to have a big strong neighbor. You can be sure that Russia views China's rise with suspicion. But right now both countries see themselves as victims of American bullying, so in that they find comfort and understanding in each other.
If Japan, a declared American ally, and in the eyes of many, an American puppet, tries to turn Russia against China, it's not going succeed. You'll have just wasted your money and spit and pissed off the Americans at the same time. The Russians will happily take Japanese money and continue to do what it needs to with China. Might as well use that money to help pay down your 200% national debt.
Magnet
Hats off to the world leaders who recognized that the Olympics is a sports event meant to foster international friendship through competition; not another platform for political / sexual agendas. I used to like Obama. In the end, he's turning out to be a stage actor filled with empty promises and highly shifting principles, easily manipulated by so-called "tolerant" liberals.
tyvtgo1US
well looking at the pic of the two of them, I see, a dictator and a KGB want-to-be dictator.. Friends to the end!
lostrune2
Remember what Hitler did with the Olympics? It's always been part of the Olympics.
Louis Tan
Watch the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics. Which country came last in the introduction of country participants just before the host country, Russia. And, which country participants were waving more than one national flag during the procession? That really shows how well recognized Shinzo Abe is in Russia and how fearful he is of being rejected by making the Japanese sports participants carry not just the Japanese flag but only the Russian one.
5th Summit? Surely this big word helps inflate Shinzo Abe's ego. Perhaps in the dual toilet while Putin is having a pee in the next stall. This small man never fails to entertain..
nath
Wow. As an American, I wish the US actually had a policy like this. But, no such luck there...
technosphere
Not a wise step from Obama & co. People are joking now that "a group of top western gays boicotted Olympic games".
Open Minded
globallc
Sport events are politicized by every country. Just think about these children sport zombies created by the authoritarian countries. Most of these athletes being actually under the army enrolment for the country prestige!
This is why I just ignore these kind of massive business and politics events where sport is just a propaganda carrier.
nath
Exactly. Gay rights have nothing to do with it
titaniumdioxide
No politics in Olympics please. Good for Pres. Obama.
KariHaruka
And?
The Olympics have been and always should be about the athletics and the sports.
OssanAmerica
I will always remember Carter for this.
sillygirl
Just looked it up. Only Bush.
globallc
Use of sport events to politicize has become a norm conducted by the West.
sillygirl
I'm not so sure too many US presidents have attended in the past so this news is off kilter.
paulinusa
"The West has constantly found fault with Russia’s holding of the games,” China’s state-run newspaper Global Times said in an editorial Friday. It added that the criticism underscores the connection between the two countries"
The connection being what? Government repression and human rights violations?
tokyodoumo
Russia spent $50 billion for Sochi and they say more than half of the fund was embezzled. So would the Russian fat cats' really care if Mr Obama is not coming to the party?