Posted on 10/24/2001 12:06:29 PM PDT by KantianBurke
STRASBOURG, France, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Tibet's Nobel Prize winning, exiled spiritual leader on Wednesday criticized the Western response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.
"You can eliminate people but you cannot eliminate human thought," the Dalai Lama said at a news conference. "The way to defeat terrorism in the long run is through thought, argument and reasoning. Once you commit violence it is unpredictable and it causes side effects."
His comments came after he spoke before the European Parliament.
Tibet's spiritual leader refused to condemn the U.S.-led bombing of Afghanistan, however.
"They (the Americans and the British) know more about these things than I do," he said. He compared the joint action with the two World Wars and said, "This is a sign of civilization."
He said the day after the Sept. 11 "unthinkable" attacks on New York and Washington, he wrote to President George W. Bush.
"On the 12th, I wrote a letter, which expressed my sadness and my sympathy, and I told President Bush that the best way to counter terrorism is the non-violent way," he said.
But the Dalai Lama criticized what he described as the United States' lack of concern for "democratic principles" in its foreign policy.
"As far as domestic policy is concerned, they think democracy, democracy, democracy," he said. "But American foreign policy is not much concerned for democratic principles."
Tibet's spiritual leader has lived in exile in India since 1959 when he fled his homeland. China had invaded Tibet nine years earlier.
Since then, he has campaigned for greater freedom in Tibet; Beijing regards him as a troublemaker, however, and criticized the European Parliament for inviting him to address them Wednesday.
Dialogue remained "the only sensible and intelligent way of resolving differences and clashes of interest," the Dalai Lama said.
The parliament gave the Dalai Lama four standing ovations for his speech in Tibetan on the virtues of non-violence.
While he called for a conference of non-governmental organizations, writers and thinkers together with religious leaders to consider the next stages of the war on terrorism, European Parliament President Nicole Fontaine said the parliament had called for a solution to the Middle East peace process and for "positive non-violent measures to be put in place once the military action in Afghanistan is over."
Her comments came when Britain, a member of the European Union, and the United States were conducting airstrikes on Afghanistan in retaliation for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington that killed some 6,000 people.
"They (the Americans and the British) know more about these things than I do," he said. He compared the joint action with the two World Wars and said, "This is a sign of civilization."
A more humble stance than many of our people, at least.
Given our snuggling up to China to get allies, I won't be surprised if Tibetans also get classified as "terrorists" without a peep from our government.
We tried talking. Talk only works for civilized people. Talk got you nowhere with Red China.
Dalai Lama praises US approach to bombing Afghanistan
STRASBOURG, Oct 24 (AFP) -The Dalai Lama, exiled spiritual leader of Tibet and staunch supporter of non-violence, praised the United States Wednesday for taking what he described as a civilized approach to the bombing campaign in Afghanistan.
"We need a maximum effort in avoiding violence," he told a press conference following a speech to the European Parliament.
"At the same time, as a quiet fellow, I am amazed and admire that, at this moment, unlike First World War, Second World, Korean War and Vietnam War, I think the American side is very, very carefully selecting targets, taking maximum precautions about the civilian casualties."
"I think this is a sign of more civilization," said the Dalai Lama.
He warned, however, that "bombing can eliminate only physical things, not thoughts or emotions. Talk and reasoning is the only long-term solution."
Well, I guess you can't expect everything.
Maybe Dalai meant Hitler would eventually run out of people to kill??
It is 100 times worse than anyone who has not been in combat could ever imagine. That said, once we are attacked, it is the duty of our civilian leadership to reply to that attack, and defend our citizens, with as much force, firepower, shock action concentrated weaponry and vigor as we can gather.
To fail to do so only encourages people who want to kill us, and gives them more opportunity to do so. In addition, it prolongs the conflict, which kills more beople on both sides of the war.
For example, the tought of using fissionable weapons (nuclear bonbs) is an anathma to many Americans, but when you ask one question, their opinions often change.
The simple question is: How additional American men and women should die so as to avoid use of the atomic bomb? Puts a new perspective on it, doesn't it?
Mistaken assumption- we`re not dealing with reasonable people.
"Once you commit violence it is unpredictable and it causes side effects."
So do most medicines. It`s time we cured this disease.
Once, when the Pope criticized Stalin, the dictator responded "And how many divisions does the Pope command?".
A similar response seems appropriate for the Dalai Lama's views.
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