Scotsman reports 30 people killed as Chinese locked down the Tibetan “capital after the largest and most violent protests against its rule in the region in nearly two decades.“

This despite a warning from the U.S. not to use force on the protesters. Wizbang notes the situation with typical disdain that China is the last great bastion of communism on Earth, and provides this context for the conflict:

The violence erupted just two weeks before China’s Summer Olympic celebrations kick off with the start of the torch relay, which passes through Tibet. China is gambling that its crackdown will not draw an international outcry over human rights violations that could lead to boycotts of the Olympics.

I leave aside the argument that being one of our largest trading partners and most consequential creditors softens Bejing’s image as the Red Menace because they do remain despotic as always even though they left Marx’s path long ago. Let’s go right to the predictable, yet sadly impotent international condemnation as the unrest spreads beyond borders of Tibet.

“Arrogant …” guilty of the “greatest humanitarian disaster” of the modern world … “accompanied by a deliberate ignoring of serious human rights problems on its own territory.”

No, that’s not what we said in condemnation of China’s human rights records, but what they said about us.

This was not only inconsistent with universally recognised norms of international relations, but also exposed the double standards and downright hypocrisy of the United States on the human rights issue, and inevitably impaired its international image.”

See, since we invaded Iraq without just cause, are responsible for killing civilians in Afghanstan, keep secret prisons and torture detainees, the Chinese feel that, “The United States has a notorious record of trampling on the sovereignty of and violating human rights in other countries.”

It’s called moral authority. We got none anymore. We used to, not all that long ago actually. We used to be able to get on our high horse and spout the kind of vitriol Bush Cheerleader Mark Noonan spews with no sense of irony.

I’m sick to death with these tyrannical regimes which presume to have the authority to actually do what they do. We can’t get rid of them all, but we can certainly cut our ties to them. I’m for completely free trade, but only with other free nations - we should ditch all trade agreements with China, and open trade agreements with, say, India. It is time for the free people of the world to firmly and without question stand athwart the unfree nations - and stand with their enslaved populations.

Psst. Mark, buddy. We are trading with India, in fact if they agree to buy a whole bunch of fighter jets, we’re throwing in the Aircraft Carrier Kitty Hawk for free. Wadda Deal!

If you think that this episode should draw absolutely unequivocal outrage from the presidential candidates, your right, it did. From the two guys running for President of Tiawan.

The United States, however, just took them OFF the list of the worlds worst human rights violators.

Now I’m confused.