Mr. President: Don't forget to say Hello to the King

Mr. President: Don't forget to say Hello to the King

AP reported that, “White House officials emphasized that Obama would not have visited Cambodia had it not been hosting two regional summit meetings the U.S. attends, a rare admonishment of a country on its own soil.”

It is understandable that Cambodia may not be good enough to earn respect from the U.S president at this time. However, America can be tough only with Hun Sen, the Cambodia’s strongman, but it should not be so tough with the Cambodian people and tradition. Cambodians had suffered enough from some of the American past policies that may have contributed to such atrocity.  

While he is already there, in the Cambodian Capital, it would be a nice gesture if President Obama would show some respects to Cambodian people by stopping by to say hello to Cambodia’s King and offer personal condolences for the passing of the late King. 

Better yet, to help rebuild U.S.--Cambodia’s relationship Premier Hun Sen should help make an arrangement to have such a visit possible.  

Cambodians will be more resentful with the Americans if President Obama is seen to be disrespectful, arrogant or snobbish to Cambodia. In addition, Hun Sen will be able to use such attitude as an alibi to justify his move--- against the United States or to become closer to China.  

An "impediment" to deepening ties: Will Hun Sen blink?

An "impediment" to deepening ties: Will Hun Sen blink?

Knowing how China has been treating him differently, will Hun Sen do as President Obama has suggested? Or will he shrug his shoulders and continue to tight the noose on the oppositions and human right activists. Should the Cambodian Opposition leaders and Human Right activists celebrate?

It depends on how President Obama addressed the issues and how he treated Hun Sen during the meeting... And it depends on whether Hun Sen react or respond to the U.S. Does Hun Sen needs to deepen ties with the U.S?

Most Cambodian leaders' attitude is like the attitude of the late "Samdech Euv" Norodom Sihanouk. The relationship with the U.S is far less important than with the Chinese, especially when Chinese economy is much stronger than American's for the time being and China always claims that their assistance to Cambodia has no string attached.

For now no one should rejoice yet...

Welcome: President Obama, wearing a traditional silk shirt, returns a greeting to Bun Rany, wife of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who stands centre, before a dinner in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Source: AP Photo 
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Los Angeles Times
Obama holds 'tense' meeting with Cambodia leader

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President Obama is escorted by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen before a meeting in Phnom Penh. (Vincent Thian / Associated Press. / November 19, 2012)

By Kathleen Hennessey

November 19, 2012, 9:17 a.m.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- On the heels of his historic trip to Myanmar, President Obama landed in Cambodia on Monday night for a dose of summitry and quickly found himself in a "tense" meeting with his host, an aide said.

Obama met with Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen in the marble hallways of the Peace Palace, his first stop after leaving the country's eastern neighbor. Obama was the first sitting U.S. president to visit Myanmar, and he cast his trip as a reward for that government's recent "flicker of progress" toward democracy after decades of authoritarian rule.

But Obama was not willing to shower the same encouragement on Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge official and target of human rights watchdogs.

Hun Sen did not smile before entering the private meeting with the president. Once out of earshot of the media, Obama told the prime minister that Cambodia must undertake fair elections and release political prisoners, calling such shortcomings an "impediment" to deepening ties between the two countries, according to Ben Rhodes, deputy national security advisor for strategic communication.

Rhodes had signaled that Obama would deliver a frank message in Cambodia. The president took heat from human rights activists in the buildup to his Asia trip -- not only for his visit here, but for his decision to honor Myanmar's steps toward greater democracy. They argued the president was moving too quickly to reward too little progress, with the military in Myanmar still wielding influence and some political prisoners still being held.

Obama is in Southeast Asia to underscore his effort to strengthen ties in the region, part of his broader plan to counterbalance China's growing influence.

The president is set to attend a meeting of the Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations and the East Asia Summit before returning to Washington on Tuesday

We should thank Mr. Obama for "seeing" Cambodia!

We should thank Mr. Obama for "seeing" Cambodia--the way it is!

There is no reason why Cambodians, especially the oppositions, should be worried about President Barack Obama’s visit to Cambodia.

We should let Mr. Obama see for himself the present Cambodia and Cambodian situations under Hun Sen’s ruling. Mr. Obama should be able to pick up the positive and negative sides of all developments like economic, social, political and human rights, etc…

What Cambodian oppositions should do is not to try to stop Mr. Obama from going to Cambodia or to attempt to cause any disturbance during his visit. Such attitudes will only backfire.

Many leaders of the world mostly possess positive mental attitude toward many things, hence they may view the attitude of the oppositions as nothing more than just griping in order to grab some attentions.

When people possess optimistic mental attitude, they only pay attention on the positive outcomes and not to dwell of bad things. They tend to see good things on the road and not the garbage on the roadside. Meanwhile those who have negative mental attitude see only the garbage and rarely see good things within the surroundings.

President Barack Obama waves as he leaves the White House in Washington, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012, for a trip to Southeast Asia. Obama will seek to reinforce American influence in Southeast Asia in spite of the large shadow cast by China. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

It is very important for the Cambodian oppositions to recognize and acknowledge that there are improvements in Cambodia in the recent years but there are other issues of concerns that need to be addressed and address them with the positive mental attitude.

The Cambodian opposition’s leaders must change the way they act and the way they think. They must move from the negative to the positive side. Fighting from the dark side may be viewed as an act of fearfulness and fear is one of the major negative emotions. Cursing, complaining, demanding or protesting to get help is not an effective approach to reach out to world’s leaders—those leaders simply don’t have the time to be negative.

President Obama is the President of the United States. He will do whatever is best for America and for the American’s interests. Cambodians must remember that. All actions taken by the U.S leaders will be weighing out carefully for their own national benefits.

The oppositions should be thankful for Mr. Obama’s visit to Cambodia and should be looking for a positive ways to help him see and deal with Cambodia for the benefit of both countries. They should become the positive force to help rebuild Cambodia not a negative entity that can sap energy away from the countries or people who are willing to lend a hand.

Change!

Timothy Chhim
New York
November 17, 2012