May 12
3
Is Obama rolling his tanks over Chinese freedom-fighter?
Thursday, May 3, 2012
From: Gary L. Bauer
Obama stabbed a noble, trusting, courageous man in the back
Obama’s China Fiasco
Chen Guancheng’s life is in danger from the Chinese government, and the Obama Administration bears major responsibility for his predicament. Chen is a blind human rights activist in China. Last month he escaped house arrest, breaking his foot when he jumped off a wall, and sought refuge at the U.S. embassy in Beijing.
Why would Chen risk his life and flee to our embassy? Chen has endured beatings, jail and house arrest in order to protest China’s vicious forced abortion policy. His daughter has been escorted to school by Chinese security, and Chen and his wife have not seen their son for two years.
China furiously demanded an apology from the U.S. for granting Chen sanctuary in our embassy. And why not? Given Obama’s previous apologies and bowing to foreign monarchs, the communist dictators reasonably assumed they would get one.
After intense negotiations, a deal was reached whereby Chen would be reunited with his family and remain in China. It seemed, for the moment, that everyone was happy. U.S. officials escorted Chen to a hospital, where he met his family. Then they abandoned him there.
Late last night, it was reported that Chen desperately wanted to leave China. He only agreed to leave the U.S. embassy due to threats against his family by the Chinese government. But according to one report, “Chen said he came under tremendous pressure from American officials – ‘not those from the embassy but others’ – to leave the diplomatic facility as quickly as possible.” Who were the “others” who had an interest in getting Chen out of the picture?
For U.S. and Chinese officials, Chen could not have been more inconsiderate in planning his escape. His arrival at the U.S. embassy just happened to coincide with a high-profile visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.
As CBS News reported, “What was supposed to have been two days of high level talks between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and Chinese leaders has turned into a diplomatic fiasco over the fate of one man.” Obama wants China to stay happy. After all, it is financing his record deficit spending spree by buying our Treasury bonds.
Unfortunately, this appears to be a pattern that further underscores just how uninterested the Obama Administration is about human rights issues. It was reported this week that Vice President Joe Biden’s office last year ordered the State Department to reject an asylum request by a high-ranking communist official in order to avoid disrupting an upcoming visit to America by the Chinese vice president.
In fact, it seems human rights have completely fallen off the State Department’s agenda. A congressionally mandated human rights report is more than two months late.
In a statement yesterday, Speaker John Boehner demanded that Obama take responsibility for Chen’s safety:
“I am deeply disturbed by the most recent report … which suggests Chen Guangcheng was pressured to leave the U.S. embassy against his will amid flimsy promises and possible threats of harm to his family. In such a situation, the United States has an obligation to stand with the oppressed, not with the oppressor. Having handed Chen Guangcheng back over to the Chinese government, the Obama administration is responsible for ensuring his safety.”
The message being sent by the Obama Administration to our allies and oppressed people around the world is devastating. Obama has embraced the Arab Spring and is negotiating with the Muslim Brotherhood. He has repeatedly reached out to Iran. He is whispering sweet nothings in the ears of Russians leaders about what they can do together after his reelection. And Tuesday night Barack Obama offered to make peace with the Taliban.
Chen Guancheng now fears for his life and his family’s safety. He is begging to be flown out of the country with his family as soon as possible. The Washington Post reports that U.S. officials are not being allowed to meet with Chen, adding, “What briefly looked like a deft diplomatic achievement for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton turned into a potential debacle.”
In an interview with CNN, Chen said, “I’m very disappointed with the U.S. government.” He’s not the only one.