The "SPIN" on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's Cancelling State Dinner at White House!

[KoKo]

What Brazil wants from White House visit: dinner

(Reuters) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will have a long wish list when she visits the White House on Monday, but there's one goal that stands above the rest:

Dinner with Barack Obama.

It's not likely to happen. The U.S. president's decision not to fully roll out the red carpet for Rousseff in Washington symbolizes the relationship between two giant democracies that by most accounts want to become better allies, but have yet to find the common cause - or magic personal moment between leaders - that brings them closer together.

More weighty topics such as Syria, U.S. monetary policy, multi-billion-dollar defense deals, and Brazil's offshore oil boom will also be on the agenda for the bilateral meeting.

But the real buzz has centered on what Brazilian officials perceive as a snub of protocol, which they say represents Washington's failure to fully recognize their country's recent economic rise and growing clout in global affairs.

Rousseff's schedule on Monday - which consists of a White House meeting with Obama, a working lunch and a conference with business leaders - contrasts with the reception given to British Prime Minister David Cameron last month.

Cameron was treated to a formal, black-tie state dinner, although his trip was not a full state visit. Obama also flew Cameron to a college basketball game in Ohio where the two leaders were photographed smiling, eating hot dogs and chatting with fans.

Brazilian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to frankly discuss diplomatic issues, say they realize their country does not enjoy the "special relationship" long afforded to Britain. But they pointed out that Brazil did officially surpass Britain last year to become the world's sixth-biggest economy, neatly capturing why their country should be treated as just as important a partner in years to come.

"There's a feeling that most people in Washington don't appreciate what's happening in Brazil," said one official close to Rousseff. "It didn't have to be a state visit, but Obama could have taken her to dinner, or to the Kennedy Center."

Rousseff is scheduled to have a formal dinner at the Brazilian embassy in Washington on Monday night.



Asked about Monday's agenda, White House spokeswoman Erin Pelton said the meeting will be Obama's third bilateral encounter with Rousseff since she took office in January 2011. The meeting "will deepen a partnership that has never been stronger," Pelton said.

State visits are generally not given during presidential election years, another U.S. official said. Leaders from other key U.S. allies such as Japan, Canada, Australia, Turkey and South Korea have also visited Washington in recent years without receiving a full state visit.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/06/us-usa-brazil-idUSBRE8350FQ20120406

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Obama's Weak-Horse Diplomacy Claims Another Victim: Brazil

Geopolitics: President Obama put all the U.S.' foreign policy eggs on Latin America in a Brazilian basket, lavishing attention on the giant in a big "reset." Now that Brazil has walked out on a state visit, the U.S. has egg on its face.

It's believed to be the first time ever that a world leader has canceled a state visit to the U.S., a visit so special, so elaborate, and so intent on showing the esteem in which the U.S. holds its guest of honor that it was the only one planned for 2013.

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff Tuesday told the U.S. thanks, but no thanks, for the Oct. 23 dinner, making it clear her nation is furious about revelations from National Security Agency renegade Edward Snowden, who claimed the U.S. had spied on Brazil's leaders, its communications and the state-run oil company, Petrobras.

With all due respect, Brazil's fury is probably a bit disingenuous. Did Brazil really believe the U.S. had given up its espionage operations in the age of big-government hiring and the global rise of the Internet?

What's happening here is the result of the shambles President Obama has made of U.S. diplomacy and our nation's standing in the world.

Exhibit A is the U.S. capitulation to Russian President Vladimir Putin over Syria in the last week. Its origin was a gaffe by Obama, who drew a "red line" on chemical weapons use by Syria as a pretext for taking military action. That let Putin's Russia emerge as the region's powerbroker for the first time since the 1960s, even as the White House falsely claimed victory.

Exhibit B is the British Parliament's refusal to join the U.S. in a military strike on Syria, the first such legislative rebuke to a prime minister since 1782. It showed that the U.S. could no longer get even its once closest ally to make common cause on a "pinprick" strike.

These events point to an eroded U.S. stature in the world — made worse by Snowden, whose revelations have revealed even more weakness in the world's superpower.

Snowden's act demonstrated the U.S. no longer can keep its secrets. Whatever its tech prowess, the U.S. government was so undisciplined and weak it has become a sieve for state secrets.

For Brazil, there would be little to gain from association with the U.S. in such circumstances. Matters aren't helped by the fact that Rousseff's leftist base is most incensed by the revelations, while her approval numbers remain at a low 38% after June's riots.

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/091813-671591-brazil-wants-nothing-to-do-with-an-america-of-weakened-stature.htm?ref=SeeAlso

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Brazil's Rousseff Cancels State Visit To U.S. Over Spying - Report

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has canceled a state visit to Washington in October over reports that the United States spied on her personal communications and those of other Brazilians, a leading Brazilian newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Rousseff, who was infuriated by the spying reports, decided to cancel despite a 20-minute telephone call from President Barack Obama on Monday night in a last-minute attempt to salvage the trip, O Globo newspaper said.

O Globo gave no source for its information.

A spokesman for Rousseff, asked by Reuters to confirm the report, replied only: "I don't have that information."

Rousseff is expected to announce whether or not she is going to Washington at a news conference later on Tuesday.

If she confirms she will not go, it would be a big blow to U.S.-Brazilian relations. Ties had been improving steadily since Rousseff took office in 2011 but were upset by reports that the National Security Agency snooped on emails, text messages and calls between the president and her aides.

O Globo said Rousseff was unsatisfied by U.S. explanations of the espionage revealed in documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. U.S. officials said the NSA surveillance was aimed at tracking suspected terrorist activity and did not pry into personal communications, but Rousseff was not convinced.

O Globo said Rousseff was unconvinced by U.S. explanations of the espionage, which were based on documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

Rousseff's visit, scheduled for Oct. 23, was conceived to highlight the improvement in ties between the two biggest economies in the Americas and Brazil's emergence over the past decade as a regional power.

The trip has been seen as a platform for deals on oil exploration and biofuels technology, and Brazil's potential purchase of fighter jets from Chicago-based Boeing Co.

The itinerary includes a state dinner at the White House, the only such event offered by the Obamas this year.

http://www.carbonated.tv/news/brazils-rousseff-cancels-state-visit-to-us-over-spying-report

[Cali_Democrat]

1. Sorry, Brazil

But spy agencies spy on other countries. In fact, countries have been spying on one another for centuries. Ancient Chinese writings detail espionage tactics against other countries and it has evolved from there.

If this comes as a shock to you, you are incredibly naive.

In fact, I'm 100% certain countries like Argentina and Chile are spying on you.

[Championette]

2. Should spy agencies spy on other Presidents? Emphasis on "should they"

Not "have they done it".

[Cali_Democrat]

4. Spying could be anything from bugging offices to intercepting electronic communications

It's about total information awareness. I would assume that high ranking officials would be top, priority targets.

When it comes to spying on other countries, nothing is off limits and there are really no international laws that govern such tactics.

France was caught engaging in espionage against Germany and they consider each other "allies", but really there is no such thing as "allies". There are only instances where your interests will occasionally align with other countries, but they definitely don't align all the time.

The world is a messy place and really it's every country for themselves.

This is reality.

[riderinthestorm]

3. Well that approach is guaranteed to win over one of the world's rising powers

Yup. Just tell Dilma Rousseff she's being a big baby and fuck off about the spying!111!!

Its not as though the US needs Brazil economically - fuck off Brazil!!1111!!

And Rousseff shouldn't care about how upset her constituents are! She should tell her Brazilian citizens to fuck off! That they are all "incredibly naive"!!11!!!

[Cali_Democrat]

5. I'm not saying the US should tell them to fuck off

That would be rude.

But a little dose of reality would be helpful in this case.

[SoCalDem]

6. Invite a different guest & have the party anyway..or just cancel the whole thing

problem solved..

and when asked, just say.. "no one HAS to accept an invitation"..

[riderinthestorm]

7. The US needs the BRIC countries far more than they need us

Especially in Latin America where they are going to simply form their own trade zone and cut us off.

The US should be grovelling and instead you want to insist that Rousseff is getting all uppity about this?

Its sick.

Obama was right to personally call her but even 20 minutes of his charm offensive couldn't diffuse the situation. Rightly so.

We are on perilous, treacherous ground with our hegemony. There's NO good way to spin this.

The US needs to suck it up and apologize. Publicly. Many times. And take humiliations like Rousseff's cancellation as the mild rebuke it is without trying to "spin" this.

Putting the onus on Rousseff as some kind of "incredibly naive" person, instead of recognizing that the HEAD OF STATE of the world's 6th largest economy (and growing) is righteously pissed, smacks of American imperialism of the worst sort.

IMHO.

[Cali_Democrat]

8. The US doesn't need to grovel

If the US govt did need to grovel, they would be. Free trade sucks anyways.

The admin is handling this just fine IMO.

There are more important things to worry about than Rousseff's hurt feelings.

Besides, it's good politics to portray America as the bogeyman. Many South American leaders have perfected this, especially Evo Morales.

All the US should be giving Rousseff is a helpful little reality check.

That's all.

[riderinthestorm]

10. A 20 minute personal phone call from President Obama trying to persuade her

to re-consider her decision tells me we are grovelling.

This isn't about free trade or hurt feelings. Its about one of the BRIC countries PISSED about our persistent fucked up interference in their personal affairs.

In the case of Latin America it is beyond personal and well into deliberate past state sabotage. Rousseff does not need a "helpful little reality check". That is beyond insulting and maybe someday you'll recognize that.

The Admin has fucked this up royally and trying to gloss over this breach only demonstrates how blind you are in your loyalty to Obama.

[Cali_Democrat]

12. Nobody knows what was said on the phone call

Again, as I said before, it's good politics in South America to portray the US as a bogeyman. Leaders need scapegoats to distract from their domestic problems and Evo Morales has perfected that as his people live in poverty.

Rousseff is playing this up for her domestic audience. It's good politics.

Obama has more important things to worry about than Rousseff's hurt feelings. It just shouldn't be a high priority at the moment.

Sorry.

I suppose we can agree to disagree on this matter.

[riderinthestorm]

13. Your persistent denial acknowledging major, and damaging US interference

in the past, in Latin America, and your attempt to downplay this as just Rousseff "playing this up", or just "hurt feelings", or "not a high priority" is crazy.

Okay. Agree to disagree but in 20 years all of this - from the Evo Morales plane episode to Rousseff's deliberate decision to break ties with the US will be laid squarely at Obama's legacy. "More important things to worry about?" Yeah, well that's gonna bite us in the butt.

And it won't be good.

[Cali_Democrat]

14. Cool

We'll see 20 years from now

*yawn*

BTW, the US and Brazil haven't broken ties. If they did, there would be no embassy...it would be similar to the US relationship with Iran and North Korea.

[KoKo]

9. They didn't expect the World's Biggest Democracy to be Intercepting their

Leader's Intimate/Personal E-Mail correspondence or their National Oil Companies Internal Business Affairs!

Got It?

Now let me turn it around on you...What if Brazilian Government was caught Spying on Obama's private E-Mails with his Daughter and Family Members and other Personal Conversations.

Or...*GASP* the SATAN Ruskie Putin had been spying on President Obama's E-Mails between his Daughters and Michelle and the rest of their family?

Would you think this was Okay?

[Cali_Democrat]

11. The world biggest Democracy is actually India

If Brazil wasn't expecting this, then they need a reality check.

As for your second question, that's why countries engage in counter intelligence and that's also why countries should make sure their communications are secure if they don't want them to be intercepted.

And believe it or not, the Russians do spy on the US and I'm sure they too try to intercept the communications of high ranking officials.

Again, if you want to prevent that you need counter intelligence which is the job of the FBI in the US and the FSB in Russia.

Spy agencies spy and water is wet.