(CNN) -- When the blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng staged his astonishing escape from house arrest, he sought American protection at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. Six days later, when Chen left the embassy for a local hospital, it looked as if U.S. officials had found a solution that, as the State Department put it, "reflected his choices and our values." One official at the U.S. Embassy said Chen was so grateful for America's help that he told Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the phone, "I would like to kiss you." But the picture is starting to change, with signs emerging that the Obama administration failed to effectively protect Chen.
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Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng escaped from house arrest
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Frida Ghitis: He sought help from U.S. embassy, but now it seems he is being abandoned
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She says deal the U.S. and China made over Chen appears to go counter to his wish
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Ghitis: Obama needs to stand up for Chen and the universal value of human rights
Even if the issue has merit, Beijing says, it would be an internal matter; none of @placeholder's business.