Dalai Lama endorses just wars but not in case of Tibet

by **israelirealities** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 2:20 pm

<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051105/wl_afp/ustibetchina_051105043044">news.yahoo.com/s/afp/2005...1105043044</a> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dalai Lama endorses just wars but not in case of Tibet Fri Nov 4,11:32 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) - Waging war for the cause of freedom can be justified but not in the case of Tibet's dream of autonomy from China, the Dalai Lama told an audience at Stanford University. ADVERTISEMENT During the first of a two-day visit to the university in the state of California, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader Tenzin Gyatso touched on topics ranging from television viewing to abortion, cloning and the idea of just wars. The allied victory in World War II "saved Western civilization," and conflicts fought in Korea and Vietnam were honorable from a moral standpoint, the 14th Dalai Lama said in answer to questions. But he ruled out armed struggle for Tibet's grievances with the Chinese government. "In the case of Tibet versus China, violence is almost like suicide," the Dalai Lama said. "If violence, then bloodshed. Bloodshed means more casualties among the Chinese and, again, more hatred." "We must follow nonviolent principle so that later we can live happily." Fighting a war of independence with China would also take a vast arsenal that Tibet lacks, he added. Tibet's cause enjoys growing support among the Chinese people, but not the government, the Dalai Lama said. "There are some among us who say our neighbor only understands the language of violence," the Dalai Lama said. "It is easy to say 'jihad,' but actual implementation is very complicated, very hard, and too risky." The Dalai Lama, 70, has lived in India since he fled from Chinese troops in 1959, basing his government-in-exile in the hill-top northern Indian town of Dharamsala. The Dalai Lama said Tibet wants to keep its culture, language and spiritual customs autonomous from China but would benefit from close economic ties. Asked about the US-led invasion of Iraq, he said it would take a few years before it becomes clear whether the US military action was the right course of action. If handled improperly, the situation in Iraq could go from "today, one (Osama) bin Laden, next few years 10 bin Ladens, then 100 bin Ladens," the Dalai Lama said. The spiritual leader made his comments during an afternoon session entitled "the heart of nonviolence." Earlier in the day, he led a packed auditorium filled with 7,000 people in a meditation session. While fielding questions, the Dalai Lama said that there were no clear right or wrong answers to controversial topics such as euthanasia, abortion or genetic cloning. The issues should be looked at "holistically," with situations evaluated case by case, the Dalai Lama said. The Dalai Lama joked at times. A question about whether to cut television from people's lives prompted him to quip that "society would be more boring." At one point he smiled, touched his balding, shaved head and remarked: "Less hair, more shine, more wisdom." He closed the afternoon talk by saying that China was undergoing a transition toward a more open culture and that he has reason to be hopeful for future relations between Beijing and Tibet. The Dalai Lama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent struggle for Tibet, has been pushing for greater autonomy for the Himalayan region, as the head of an unrecognized government and de facto diplomat. Scheduled to visit Washington DC next week, the Dalai Lama was expected to appeal to US President George W. Bush to lobby China on Tibet's behalf. The International Campaign for Tibet, a group promoting civil rights for the people of Tibet, said the Dalai Lama was coming to Washington at a "key moment," citing the current Sino-Tibetan dialogue on the territory's future status. The first-ever talks between the Dalai Lama's envoys and Beijing officials outside Chinese soil were held in the Swiss capital Bern in July.

by **Sabre** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 2:54 pm

So Dalai Lama is not quite the man of peace that many were led to believe. Granted, it's understandable why wars such as WWII were considered just wars...but it's quite clear except to the neoconlib fanatics and raptureheads that this Iraq War is utterly unjust. Dalai's refrain from denunciation of this war makes me wonder what he truly stands for. There have been few statements by anonymous others that suggested that Dalai had a darker side to him. I'd hate for that to be verified.

by **proldic** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 2:56 pm

<a href="http://www.trimondi.de/SDLE/Index.htm">www.trimondi.de/SDLE/Index.htm</a>

by **israelirealities** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 3:01 pm

couldn't it be just the usual "deal" with US administration,. support out dirty little war and we will get you goodies (visas for refugees and pressure on China) ? did anyone on this planet ever escape this fate ? (Zimbabwe...ah, yes, so far hanging on there with no food).

by **StarmanSkye** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 4:34 pm

<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/eyes.gif ALT=":rolleyes"> seems to be playing at Politician rather than Spiritual Leader here. How disappointing. Korea and Vietnam were 'honorable' from a moral standpoint? This attitude endorsing an oversimplified revisionism shows an utter disregard for the true political and economic issues behind these conflicts. The conflict in Vietnam was overwhelmingly about an authentic popular Independence movement that was coopted by --and by turns embraced -- Communist Chinese support, because of American political perfidy and crushing Military force. As in numerous contempoirary examples, powerful American political and economic interests were hostile to Ho Chi Mihn's ambitions for Vietnamese independence and democratic idealism -- with the 'result' being some 6 million people killed, and uncounted millions injured with long-term and continuing victims from landmines and Agent Orange/chemical weapon poisoning/genetic damage -- truly indescribeable horrors and suffering that the American 'ladership' has continued to ignore and refuse to accept responsibility for, essentially condoning the Imperialistic attitude of institutionalized war crimes. Perhaps in his perceived situation, the Dalai Lama feels he HAS to walk a thin line between playing to popular support and in not antagonizing powerful American political interests by criticizing the Military Complex, the NWO. International Banking Syndicates, the Corporatocracy and the (current) right-wing (Demo-Republocratic) neocon-dominated War Machine. Damn but I HATE the notion of making expedient end-justifies-means concessions to truth, in ANY form. I think the Dalai Lama is copping-out here. He's 'negotiating' for American political support by compromising and making concessions, absolving the Political-economic/War Machine of its crimes in the evident hope that the practical benefits of its alliance will outweigh the 'cost', ie., as typical whenever bargaining with the Devil. I'm not so naive as to be unaware that the incentive to make such ideological and even moral concessions on the stage of International Relations is compelling -- after all, who KNOWS what threats or blackmail or bribes the Dalai may be facing or trying to deftly fend. As an anti-Chinese foil, the US and Western Secret Intelligence systems no-doubt see the Dalai Lama as a valuable, strategic 'tool' of influence and propaganda. At the very least, the Dalai probably hopes to cultivate US political support that may help moderate China's attitude and ambitions re: Tibet and help preserve a degree of Tibetan political, cultural and economic autonomy -- as evident too in the Dalai's conciliatory gestures of accomodation in counseling against armed struggle or resistance against Chinese political and military control. No doubt -- The Dalai is struggling with a delicate balancing act, trying to impress both the US/West and China with what the stakes are AND what influence and prestige he has to offer them in return for what they can do to help the cause of preserving (or guaranteeing, in the case of China) at least a limited degree of Tibetan autonomy, while playing them against each other. I dunno (without being better informed)-- Seems to me the Dalai might be further ahead in moving beyond the narrow east-west paradigm defined by the US and China, to perhaps align himself with the 'alternative' Bolivarian Revolution -- and in which there are far more goals and ideals in common with the people of Tibet than seems to be the case with the US (under present 'leadership' and exploitive Foreign Policy) or China. Of course, such a position (of the Dalai Lama expressing public solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution of peasant-led autonomy promoting land reform and social justice, re: Chavez, Castro, FLN, Zapatistas, etc) would surely antagonize the US -- but that has to be balanced with the likely synergistic benefits of popular support and energy and activism and public attention that would result. Most certainly, well IMO anyway, in such a case (ie., embracing the Bolivarian Revolution) the Dalai would be showing more integrity and the courage of his convictions, and encouraging inspiration and insight and greater dialogue among many millions of people looking for something to believe in and support (a 'way' to resist the war-mongering and abuse of power and corruption and institutionalized fraud that has subverted so MANY governments around the world) than by his present position of complacent compromise (characteristic of a position of weakness, NOT strength) in which he can claim the Vietnam War to have been 'honorable' (perhaps he meant honorable for those peasants resisting the US Killing Machine?). I'm almost tempted to write the Dalai Lama and tell him what a pathetic cop-out I think his position on the Vietnam War and the so-called 'War on Terror' is. I tried a google search to see if there were any stories about the Dalai Lama addressing the Bolivarian Revolution, but nothing jumped-out to my eye -- it makes me wonder if the Dalai has deliberately avoided even the impression of support or being in favor of it. Very curious. Starman

by **dbeach** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 8:02 pm

Dali may be playing both sides as are many inclduing Wilson..IMHO. Ho Chi Mien [the enlightened one}was a former Intell asset who suddenly turned against the americans . Wonder Why? and later got funded by Red China..Kinda like a sadam who was our pal until its easier to villain him kinda like Osama and kinda like name your favorite villain... The company sets em up to knock em down... I know some Vietnamese boat people and the aftermath of 1975 was brutal and deadly..many left family behind and the americans abandoned them while the Communists stripped them of any freedom and sent dissenters to camps. His version of Independence was forcing the South Vietnamese into his war..give us your rice..give us your sons..give us your info or we burn down your village. I returned to VN in 1988 and was welcomed by many South Vietnamese and listened to many sad stories..of the Communists .Funny cuz many former VC who fought against the americans were treated like enemies and denied jobs when the North took over. I am against ALL wars and ask most sane VN vets about VN and it is still very confusing for them the warriors and it remains confusing and divisive for the USA. But hey its good for control and profits. The south from the north is more like 2 nations than one.

by **Homeless Halo** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:27 pm

Said: "The south from the north is more like 2 nations than one." Which was the plan all along. When the "pretend leftist opposition" in America finally manages to pull us out of Iraq, it will be the same. Perhaps worse, for a long time. Which is always the real goal of the PTB "Divide and conquer". Nothing whatsoever to do with "Freedom". What nonsense.

by **banned** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:43 pm

...by saying it's too soon to tell if the Iraq War was just. So he lets his own people be slaughtered and oppressed, but it's okey dokey for the US to blast their way into Eye-rak? Screw him. Another mouthpiece the PTB allows to spread his selective nonviolence and general New Age patter.

by **dbeach** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:58 am

war as a means to control,including war profiteering and of course the taking of our soldiers,many of whom are young while the elite and their kids risk NOTHING. Not to mention the killing of innocents by both sides and then the elites hand the bills to the middle class and complain of money shortages so they slash social programs SOS. the real war remains the same..weaken the middle class so it collapses on the poor..demonize dissent and control the negative outcomes that were created by the elites in the first place

Dalai Lama endorses just wars but not in case of Tibet

Dalai Lama endorses just wars but not in case of Tibet

This definitely makes me ponder!

Re: This definitely makes me ponder!

Re: This definitely makes me ponder!

Dalai Lama ...

Re: Dalai Lama ...

dbeach:

The DL just lost me...

Re: The DL just lost me...

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