What the Torch Relay Protests have done to China

China competed to have the Olympics and thus show itself off to the world.  China's enemies and the groups that China has repressed were always going to use the Olympic stage to protest against China's policies.  It amazes me that the leadership of China and the Olympic Movement were blind sided by the torch relay protests.

China has made great progress opening its economy and elevating the standard of living for many millions of Chinese. She has much to be proud of and many people in the world now admire China.  The protests around the torch relay gave China the chance to react, on an international stage, to people in democratic countries exercising their rights to protest.  

Unfortunately, the responses to the torch relay protests have highlighted China's shortcomings rather than her achievements.