| Submit your comments on this article |
| China-Japan-Koreas |
| China wants army to oversee torch relay in Australia |
| 2008-03-26 |
| CHINA wants its army to oversee the Australian leg of the Olympic torch relay to ensure protests do not mar the event. The move, which has been rebuffed by the Australian Federal Police, comes as Beijing reels from an embarrassing relay launch in Athens when human rights activists hijacked the event. China has responded by radically cutting back relay legs in cities where it expects more trouble, including San Francisco and Paris. It is understood Beijing has deep concerns that protesters will turn the Canberra leg of the relay on April 24 into another public relations disaster. The Canberra leg will feature several Australian Olympic superstars including Ian Thorpe, Jodie Henry, Petria Thomas, Marjorie Jackson-Nelson and Ron Clarke. "We have explained to the Chinese Embassy that people have a democratic right in Australia to stage demonstrations and people are free to demonstrate when the torch does arrive but we would hope that demonstrations are peaceful and won't disrupt the relay in any way," AOC spokesman Mike Tancred said. |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #15 Short answer? Fuck you. |
| Posted by: Chief Running Gag 2008-03-26 18:04 |
| #14 This might throw some light on the request: http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/did_chinas_cash_flow_to_rudd/#commentsmore |
| Posted by: Aussie Mike 2008-03-26 17:13 |
| #13 And Cindy et al. would cheer their Communist heroes. Hmmm. Actually that might be a good thing, if it got broadcast on the evening news - it would expose the anti war types as the Communist dupes they are. |
| Posted by: Rambler in California 2008-03-26 15:05 |
| #12 San Francisco torch run should route past Nancy Pelosi's mansion... Oh wait, can't do that because Cindy and the pink eyes are sleeping in her driveway. |
| Posted by: Capsu78 2008-03-26 14:58 |
| #11 Whatever |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2008-03-26 14:12 |
| #10 Like olde Chinese proverb says, China Olympic Soup called Yellow River. /ip daily. so velly sollee |
| Posted by: RD 2008-03-26 13:31 |
| #9 Inviting the Chinese in is easy. The hard part is getting them to leave. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-03-26 12:46 |
| #8 In Tibet, Barbara? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-03-26 12:43 |
| #7 Maybe the Aussies should have agreed. With the proviso that the Australian Army would in turn "oversee" any demonstrations during the Olympics in China. With a live satellite camera crew. :-D |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2008-03-26 11:39 |
| #6 The Chicoms can't heavy hand this. It will blow up in their faces. I hope their Potemkin Village Oleo-Lympics spectacle keeps unravelling. Serves them right. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2008-03-26 11:20 |
| #5 The Olympic Torch will be coming to San Francisco. I wonder if it will be pay-per-view. In Beijing. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-03-26 09:47 |
| #4 I'm thinking that China is going to have to be put down at some point in the near future. |
| Posted by: Muggsy Clique5785 2008-03-26 09:31 |
| #3 We have explained to the Chinese Embassy that people have a democratic right in Australia to stage demonstrations The Chinese don't care about that, not one bit. This whole Olympics thing was supposed to be about China joining the community of nations as an equal, and demonstrating its willingness to enter the 21st century. What's happening instead is that the world is seeing China's true face. Government officials are accustomed to their words being followed without question. |
| Posted by: gromky 2008-03-26 09:02 |
| #2 The PRC sez: "All your Olympics are belong to us!" |
| Posted by: mrp 2008-03-26 08:59 |
| #1 PLA down under? Didn't realize that Australia was part of the motherland.... |
| Posted by: john frum 2008-03-26 07:59 |