Hello Ron, indisputably, the US and UK conspired to load the Iranian population with the Shah by succeeding in plot against Iranian secular democracy back in 1957 ... that could be historically interpreted as evil, and all other evils followed after that sorry episode of regime change. You do remember, do you not?
And you DO REMEMBER that the Soviets were JUST AS INVOLVED in destabilizing Iran and that Mossadegh was unable to quash the communist influences within his government?? Iran was a pawn in the "cold war" in the 1950s, sad to say, and both the West and East meddled in their internal politics.
As regard to Tibet, on one man one vote basis, as in the case of many parts of Canada, and Australia and USA, Tibet is indisputably Chinese, and Tibetans are most certainly not being killed in the middle of the night for minding own business at a few dozen a day clip - meaning babies are not living short lives, and daughters are not being raped. Visit Tibet sometime, check out the rising prosperity for all, including the Tibetans. The issue being?
The issue being that China invaded a peaceful country in order to further their ability to deal with the growing rivalry with India. Tibetans have no ethnic ties to China. They are not Han, they do not speak Chinese, and the rhetoric of "benevolent dictatorship" that Bejing (and apparently yourself) hide behind to justify this occupation of Tibet is that you're "improving their lifestyle". Well, my goodness.. that means China will be invading Nepal, Laos, and could even justify invading Vietnam. Why not invade and annex Afghanistan as well using this logic??
The West, via the Great Game, is precisely the lot that made acquisition of Tibet by any and all Chinese regime, KMT or CCCP, absolutely essential. Remember?
The "grand game" began ending in 1945 with the close of WWII and decolonization. It's not my fault that China was a bit "late" to that game and the rules (with the creation of the United Nations) changed.
So I'm sorry Jay.. I cannot, and will not, agree with you about China's rights or justifications for invading and occupying Tibet. If the Chinese Communist government had been so concerned about the "health" of the Tibetan people, they could have extended a foreign aid assistance program to the government of Tibet rather that brutally invading a pacifist country.
Hawk |
