Obama seems to be enjoying his visit

[Freewill]

Looks like he is through bowing and has moved on to something else.

 

[konradv]

Just hangin' with his fellow Peace prize winner. Eat it, Mitt!

 

[rightwinger]

A kiss AND a handshake?

What is this guy thinking?

 

[squeeze berry]

 

[Rozman]

This guy is having a good 'ol time...
And why not.He got elected again.
He's solid for another 4 years.
If he gets anything done he's set for life.
If he gets nothing done and just blames Bush and the republicans he's set for life...

Not a bad gig.

 

[waltky]

Granny says dat lil' bitty Aung San Suu Kyi gonna help resolve copper mine protests in Myanmar...

Security forces break up mine protest
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 - MYANMAR CRACKDOWN: Twenty-seven monks and another person suffered burns caused by some sort of projectile. Protesters said police fired flare guns at them

Security forces used water cannons and other riot gear yesterday to clear protesters from a copper mine in northwestern Myanmar, wounding villagers and Buddhist monks just hours before opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was to visit the area to hear their grievances. The crackdown at the Letpadaung mine near the town of Monywa risks becoming a public relations and political fiasco for the reformist government of Burmese President Thein Sein, which has been touting its transition to democracy after almost five decades of repressive military rule.

The environmental and social damage allegedly produced by the mine has become a popular cause in activist circles, but was not yet a matter of broad public concern. However, hurting monks — as admired for their social activism as they are revered for their spiritual beliefs — is sure to antagonize many ordinary people, especially as Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit highlights the events. “This is unacceptable,” said Ottama Thara, a 25-year-old monk who was at the protest. “This kind of violence should not happen under a government that says it is committed to democratic reforms.”

According to a nurse at a Monywa hospital, 27 monks and one other person were admitted with burns caused by some sort of projectile that released sparks or embers. Two of the monks with serious injuries were sent for treatment in Mandalay, a two-and-a-half-hour drive away. Other evicted protesters gathered at a Buddhist temple about 5km from the mine’s gates. Lending further sympathy to the protesters’ cause is whom they are fighting against. The mining operation is a joint venture between a Chinese company and a holding company controlled by the military. Most people remain suspicious of the military, while China is widely seen as having propped up army rule for years, in addition to being an aggressive investor exploiting the country’s many natural resources.

State television had broadcast an announcement on Tuesday night that ordered protesters to cease their occupation of the mine by midnight or face legal action. It said operations at the mine had been halted since Nov. 18, after protesters occupied the area. Some villagers among a claimed 1,000 protesters left the six encampments they had at the mine after the order was issued, but others stayed through Wednesday, including about 100 monks.

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See also:

Burma's Suu Kyi Offers to Mediate Mine Dispute
November 29, 2012 - Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has offered to mediate a dispute involving villagers and monks opposed to the expansion of a Chinese-backed copper mine in the country's northwest.

She made the offer Thursday as she visited the mine, hours after police used water cannons, tear gas and smoke bombs to drive away hundreds of anti-mine protesters who had occupied the area for 11 days. A monk who joined the protesters in the town of Monywa said in an interview with VOA that at least 20 other monks suffered burns during the police operation and had to be hospitalized. Witnesses said the burns resulted from devices fired by security personnel as they raided several protest camps around 3:00 a.m. local time.

Burmese President Thein Sein's office initially denied police used excessive force or dangerous chemicals in the operation, but a spokesman said the president ordered the statement to be retracted after several hours. The evicted protesters were among hundreds who had defied a government order to end the occupation-style protest. Protesting villagers and monks say planned mine expansion threatens their environment. They also accuse authorities of unlawfully seizing land for the $1 billion project.

Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi visits Buddhist monks, wounded in a police crackdown on activists fighting a Chinese copper mine project, at a hospital in Monywa, Nov. 29, 2012.

Speaking to thousands of villagers near the copper mine later in the day, Aung San Suu Kyi said she met with the mine's operators and wants to speak to the protest leaders as well. "I wish to find a peaceful resolution to the problem we are facing today at this copper mine project," she said. "It should be solved in the best interests of our people, by protecting our country's dignity and our future. I will try my best to achieve this. Although I cannot guarantee whether I will succeed or not, I believe that if the people work together with me, we can succeed."

In her speech, the Nobel Peace Prize winner made no criticism of the security crackdown. She later went to a nearby hospital where many of the injured were being treated. Burma's government says mine operations were suspended November 18 because of the protest. It says canceling the project would discourage much-needed foreign investment. The mine is a joint venture between a Chinese arms manufacturer and a business controlled by the Burmese military.

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[aaronleland]

If you look closely in that last picture you can see her reaching for her rape whistle.