Looking closer at Tibet:

Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of China's suppression of the Tibetan uprising. This year, Tibetans in Tibet and in exile have noted this event by observing the normally festive Tibetan New Year, or Losar, as a time of mourning and remembrance. Unable to tolerate even this mild protest, the Chinese government has ordered Tibetans to attend state-sponsored celebrations and has ramped up security. On Feb. 27, a monk in a Tibetan area of Sichuan province set himself on fire after the authorities blocked his monastery from conducting Losar prayers. Chinese police shot him three times while he was on fire, though state media now claim he's alive in a hospital. It seems clear Beijing intends to maintain its current hardline approach to Tibet.

Compounding matters, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's dismissive comments about the limits of diplomacy in advancing human rights last month will likely be seen in Beijing as tacit permission to do what it feels necessary to maintain "stability" on the Tibetan plateau. In the coming months, Secretary Clinton may find that her glib remarks served to exacerbate the human rights crisis in Tibet and undercut America's ability to use diplomacy to address it.

And then there is the example of former President Bush's leadership on the issue, focusing on standing for human rights:

President Bush also made a point of formally meeting with the Dalai Lama in May 2001 and several more times, which broke with his predecessor's insulting practice of "dropping by" the Tibetan leader's scheduled meetings with the U.S. Vice President. The Chinese got the message, and in September 2002, they hosted the Dalai Lama's envoys for the first of eight rounds of talks. While these talks have failed to achieve results to date, China would never have entered into them without pressure from the U.S. -- particularly the direct diplomacy of senior administration officials up to and including the President. In October 2007, the U.S. Congress also awarded the Dalai Lama the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the American government's highest civilian honor. That event was quietly celebrated by Tibetans in Tibet and served to underline American support for their struggle. Although the Chinese vehemently complained about the Gold Medal -- particularly President Bush's highly visible role in the awards ceremony -- the overall U.S.-China relationship was unharmed.

How is this not the liberal position? Look to see if President Obama meets with the Dalai Lama in the coming years as an indication of how he really feels on human rights in China.