Hillary Clinton Arrives In Bangkok, En Route To Asean Meet

[Jingthing]

When will a true liberal be allowed anywhere near the White House?

The US is basically a center-right country, so politically if you go to far left, you are toast. Politicians have to work within political realities.

Why are people comparing Bush to Obama on a Thailand news forum. Lets move on....

I thought I just answered that.

Edited July 22, 2009 by Jingthing

[LawnGnome]

When will a true liberal be allowed anywhere near the White House?

The US is basically a center-right country, so politically if you go to far left, you are toast. Politicians have to work within political realities.

Why are people comparing Bush to Obama on a Thailand news forum. Lets move on....

I thought I just answered that.

Why are you answering US based political questions on a Thailand news forum. Lets move on...

[Jingthing]

Lets move on...

L.E.T.S.

[LawnGnome]

Lets move on...

L.E.T.S.

Then we are in agreement.

[sukeroku]

Lets move on...

L.E.T.S.

Then we are in agreement.

Not quite. Thailand is complicit in the War Crimes of the Obama-Bush administration by allowing the use of Thai military and civilian assets to be used by the US military. This affects the situation in the South of Thailand.

Prosecute Bush-Cheney-Obama

Impeach Obama!

[LawnGnome]

Not quite. Thailand is complicit in the War Crimes of the Obama-Bush administration by allowing the use of Thai military and civilian assets to be used by the US military. This affects the situation in the South of Thailand.

Prosecute Bush-Cheney-Obama

Impeach Obama!

Cite your source.

[sukeroku]

Not quite. Thailand is complicit in the War Crimes of the Obama-Bush administration by allowing the use of Thai military and civilian assets to be used by the US military. This affects the situation in the South of Thailand.

Prosecute Bush-Cheney-Obama

Impeach Obama!

Cite your source.

Make your bed!

[Jingthing]

Long live the friendship between Thailand and America. Good luck, Hills.

[animatic]

However, Obama outorganized her and increasingly impressed us during the campaign. I wasn't ever opposed to Obama; I'd simply thought his time was in the future and that Hillary's and a woman's time was now.

Yes, I too have often made my voting choices on the basis of race and gender. If it were on qualifications alone, I'd still be waiting for Barry to visit the 57th state, where I live. (Yes, I'm obviously being facetious.)

Jeezus, you're as bad as the Thais who sell out their vote for a few satang.

Reagan (aka Bozo the Clown)

Disregard the above. Anyone who calls one of the great conservative leaders of all time a clown must have left all their marbles in a Haight & Ashbury dope den during the summer of love.

Makes me think back to the 'Reagan Legacy'.

The highest public debt on record.... until Bush 2.

Clinton cleaned up that mess,

and not Newt Gingrich's 'contract' as arch-conservatives love to allege.

Clinton left a HUGE surplus that was squandered in record time too.

Now Obama has inherited all Bush 2's fiscal mis-management of nearly a decade.

He has had to make tough decisions to overcome the snowballing effects,

of Bush's last 9 months in office quid pro quo to his big oil backers as he left.

Artificially creating $150+ a barrel for oil. That ultimately has nearly brought

the world economy to a screeching halt. I predicted this price rise in 1999,

when Bush was nominated for 2000. It came to pass as predicted, on schedule,

and as bad as my worst case version.

GOP has been lost in ideology over functioning

and kow towing to big business vested interests for far too long.

Gee sounds like Thai politics doesn't it.

No wonder Thaksin admired Bush so much,

he would bob his head like a poodle in his presence.

Deciding to vote for a woman is not like selling your vote for a price.

It is more like deciding to let someone with a different world view

and thought processes take a shot at governing.

Yellow + Red = Orange

Check it on any art based color wheel.

Edited July 22, 2009 by animatic

[animatic]

The GOP moved so far right that John Birch may just be applauding.

The country itself grew centrist and the Obama was smart enough

to finally go for where the majority really were.

Real politics, and less ideological politics.

Edited July 22, 2009 by animatic

[LawnGnome]

Not quite. Thailand is complicit in the War Crimes of the Obama-Bush administration by allowing the use of Thai military and civilian assets to be used by the US military. This affects the situation in the South of Thailand.

Prosecute Bush-Cheney-Obama

Impeach Obama!

Cite your source.

Make your bed!

Exactly. Verbal diarrhea, nothing more.

[Plus]

The US influence is on the wane in SEA, Clinton better come up with some fresh ideas if she wants to ride on Obamania here. If she doesn't score some points, Asean will keep paying only lip service to whatever US has to say and keep working for China.

War on terror doesn't interest Asean so much, they are more concerned about global economy, and think if they should put their money on China instead.

They won't even listen to "global warning, labour rights, human trafficking bla bla bla", they perfected the art of sleeping with their eyes open and nodding at the right moments.

[animatic]

The US influence is on the wane in SEA, Clinton better come up with some fresh ideas if she wants to ride on Obamania here. If she doesn't score some points, Asean will keep paying only lip service to whatever US has to say and keep working for China.

War on terror doesn't interest Asean so much, they are more concerned about global economy, and think if they should put their money on China instead.

They won't even listen to "global warning, labour rights, human trafficking bla bla bla", they perfected the art of sleeping with their eyes open and nodding at the right moments.

Sounds about right.

[Plus]

Abhisit, for example, wanted Thailand's upgrade on human trafficking scale, and probably on IP protection, too.

But is the US really in a position to put economic pressure on Asean at the moment? Asean countries might try to get into US good books, but if it doesn't work, they'll just say "<deleted> it, it's easier to do business with Chinese", and the US might kiss good bye to the region.

[Groongthep]

Asean countries might try to get into US good books, but if it doesn't work, they'll just say "<deleted> it, it's easier to do business with Chinese", and the US might kiss good bye to the region.

This statement doesn't make any sense. The US is probably the most open market in the world. The US buying of SE Asian products is what created the economic boom in SE Asia. The Chinese will never let SE Asian products compete fairly against their own. To think that ASEAN nations would forsake the US cash cow for a closed and protectionist Chinese market that directly and adversely competes against them for the US market is naive nonsense.

[Spee]

Makes me think back to the 'Reagan Legacy'.

The highest public debt on record.... until Bush 2.

Clinton cleaned up that mess,

and not Newt Gingrich's 'contract' as arch-conservatives love to allege.

Clinton left a HUGE surplus that was squandered in record time too.

Your interpretation of the historical facts is so far off base as to be completely clueless, not to mention straight from the Carville/MacAuliffe/DNC playbook. My advice is to take two doses of reality check and call me in the morning.

Yellow + Red = Orange

Check it on any art based color wheel.

And there's that "Mr. Sardonicus" face that only she is capable of putting on when trying to look "normal" for the cameras. It's as much a signature of her phony on/off personality as her shrill cackling during her horribly botched presidential campaign.

Let's tell it like it is. The main US interest with Thailand is regional economic stability which requires regional political stability. Should Thailand turn into another Myanmar, the risk of regional instability would be increased substantially. And the biggest risk from the US perspective is not Thailand, but Singapore, which is 1000x the economic hub that Thailand could be (sans the massive corruption and political instability). Singapore is the economic gem of the ASEAN region, and it is important for America and the rest of the free world to have Singapore as a free state. Should Thailand fall completely to the dark side, then all bets are off.

[Jingthing]

So now we are dissing her appearance. Kind of sexist, huh? Its amazing how Madame Hillary gets under the skin of right wing types. What a pleasure to watch.

Edited July 22, 2009 by Jingthing

[deeveloper]

In that photo above, her hand is above his - reading body language suggests she 'owns' him (random notion).

The crimes and entangling alliances of the Clinton's are outrageous... are the ASEAN leaders not concerned about that?

The New Clinton Chronicles

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8438833120507357139

WACO Rules of Engagement

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4298137966377572665

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1755692679103175934

Bill Clinton

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6...3A+His+Life.mpg

IRAN-Contra

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=COVE...1988+&emb=0

Oklahoma

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Okla...ned?&emb=0#

Edited July 22, 2009 by deeveloper

[Plus]

Asean countries might try to get into US good books, but if it doesn't work, they'll just say "<deleted> it, it's easier to do business with Chinese", and the US might kiss good bye to the region.

This statement doesn't make any sense. The US is probably the most open market in the world. The US buying of SE Asian products is what created the economic boom in SE Asia. The Chinese will never let SE Asian products compete fairly against their own. To think that ASEAN nations would forsake the US cash cow for a closed and protectionist Chinese market that directly and adversely competes against them for the US market is naive nonsense.

No one wants to compete with China, they'd rather integrate with it.

Also China is still growing, their internal demand is growing, while the US can't really promise any pick up for Asean exports.

Integration of regional economies with China is an inevitable process, the US can only slow it down at best.

Of course Thailand will continue to export to the US, but the days when it wanted to depend on the US alone are over, they'd rather hitch their wagon to the Chinese now, and with these comes US geopolitical decline as well.

Clinton is walking a tight rope here - she needs cooperation on human rights and democracy, but they only given her the stick, no carrots.

[Jingthing]

The crimes and entangling alliances of the Clinton's are outrageous...

Yawn. I remember how it feels to not be in power, so I have compassion. Get used to it.

[brahmburgers]

It's understandable that ASEAN leaders would be drawn, at least somewhat, to forming alliances with China. However, they do so at their own peril. Chinese are ethnically closer to SE Asians, so that's a draw for SE Asians. Either way, Chinese immigrants are continually blending in to SE Asian countries and forming major businesses wherever they go - and their allegiance will be with China, at least for several generations.

Thaksin and many of his closest people are Chinese descent. Malaysia and Indonesia have periodic riots regarding indigenous people feeling they're being crowded out by Chinese businesses taking over.

Being economically allied to China can have advantages, but no one should think the Chinese care for any others, near as much as they care for themselves. Whenever there's a humanitarian crisis (SE Asia or elsewhere), where are the Chinese? Whenever economic help is needed, where are the Chinese? If a dictator gets too oppressive in a neighboring country, where are the Chinese? The answer to all those questions is: THEY'RE OUT TO LUNCH or THEY'RE NOT THERE TO ASSIST. Indeed, they don't even have organizations to assist others on a large scale. No Red Cross, No World Bank, No Medecins Sans Borders, No Amnesty International. They're out for themselves, period.

[hammered]

Asean countries might try to get into US good books, but if it doesn't work, they'll just say "<deleted> it, it's easier to do business with Chinese", and the US might kiss good bye to the region.

This statement doesn't make any sense. The US is probably the most open market in the world. The US buying of SE Asian products is what created the economic boom in SE Asia. The Chinese will never let SE Asian products compete fairly against their own. To think that ASEAN nations would forsake the US cash cow for a closed and protectionist Chinese market that directly and adversely competes against them for the US market is naive nonsense.

No one wants to compete with China, they'd rather integrate with it.

Also China is still growing, their internal demand is growing, while the US can't really promise any pick up for Asean exports.

Integration of regional economies with China is an inevitable process, the US can only slow it down at best.

Of course Thailand will continue to export to the US, but the days when it wanted to depend on the US alone are over, they'd rather hitch their wagon to the Chinese now, and with these comes US geopolitical decline as well.

Clinton is walking a tight rope here - she needs cooperation on human rights and democracy, but they only given her the stick, no carrots.

Sounds about right. That the current recession started in the US will also give ASEAN pause for thought.

[Jingthing]

The US isn't what it was and it will never again be what it was. But it will a power to deal with for quite some time, thank you very much.

[Ijustwannateach]

Please try to stay relatively on topic- I know that the implications of US politics are far-reaching, but we don't need a re-hash of Reagan or (Bill) Clinton's high or low career points on this thread. If we can't keep it at least vaguely related to Thailand this thread will have a short and heavily-moderated life.

[samran]

she drove past me this morning headed north as I was walking along wireless Rd.

As all US embassy vehicles tend to do, her entourage did an illegal right hand turn into Ploenchit Rd there. The blue diplomat plated cars were let through, though the non-diplomated cars were pulled over by the police escort, and each driver was forced to hand over 200 baht before being let off.

bah dum dum.

Edited July 22, 2009 by samran

[animatic]

So now we are dissing her appearance. Kind of sexist, huh? Its amazing how Madame Hillary gets under the skin of right wing types. What a pleasure to watch.

Ditto.

Seemingly perfectly happy to dictate how life can be lived to other people,

and then getting quite upset when they don't get it their way. Touché!

So here she will be signing a joint USA/ASEAN agreement that the Bushies refused to sign.

Can't get it their way, so they refused to play. But now it's a dialog not a narration going on.

Ijustwannateach, IMHO the difference in HOW the USA is dealing with ASEAN and Thailand

is embedded in the change of political structure back in USA, so I think valid for commentary.

Edited July 22, 2009 by animatic

[animatic]

In that photo above, her hand is above his - reading body language suggests she 'owns' him (random notion).

Or he is just being gentlemanly and not power shaking her like some bloke with ego issues.

[Plus]

..no one should think the Chinese care for any others, near as much as they care for themselves. Whenever there's a humanitarian crisis (SE Asia or elsewhere), where are the Chinese? Whenever economic help is needed, where are the Chinese? If a dictator gets too oppressive in a neighboring country, where are the Chinese? The answer to all those questions is: THEY'RE OUT TO LUNCH or THEY'RE NOT THERE TO ASSIST. Indeed, they don't even have organizations to assist others on a large scale. No Red Cross, No World Bank, No Medecins Sans Borders, No Amnesty International. They're out for themselves, period.

That is true, China is not showing any signs of being ready to take care of others problems.

But don't forget that this is not what Asean needs from China. They don't need Red Cross or Medicine Sans Frontiers, much less Amnesty International.

And they WILL support China when it pushes for bigger role in IMF or World Bank, and they ARE trying to build alternative channels for emergency funding in case of economic troubles. Neither IMF nor US made any friends after 1997 crisis in Asean.

[Scott]

A warm welcome to Hillary and I hope she has a productive trip. Whether she is divisive in the US or not is of little importance. She is a good diplomat and competent at what she does.

I hope that all of the ASEAN forums are productive.

I hope some news of the meetings is posted as well as the color of her clothes in the upcoming days.

[animatic]

A warm welcome to Hillary and I hope she has a productive trip. Whether she is divisive in the US or not is of little importance. She is a good diplomat and competent at what she does.

I hope that all of the ASEAN forums are productive.

I hope some news of the meetings is posted as well as the color of her clothes in the upcoming days.

Hear hear!