Chinese media confirms 10 deaths March 15, 2008
Posted by Philip Ryan in Dalai Lama, News, Tibet.trackback
From the New York Times. 50 or 60 monks arrested. Dead bodies all around Lhasa.
The government response to the Burmese protests was such a black eye for China, it is astounding they would raise the ire of the world again by firing on peaceful demonstrators themselves. Is it arrogance, or fear that motivates them?
This should lead to many condemnations and Olympic boycotts. The world has so little leverage over China otherwise, and the games are so important to Beijing
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Tricycle Editors' Blog 
My guess is that China understands realpolitik better than the West does — or the New York Times, at least. The West has a short memory and a great fear of disappointing its sports fans. There’s no oil in Tibet; the West will show up no matter what happens there.
Indeed if the West and its media were not to show up there would be that much less criticism of China.
The Games will be and will look like a huge Communist propoganda ploy. Truly, China has nothing to gain from outsiders by staging the Games. It’s all being done to say to its own citizenry that China is World Class.