Posted on 05/21/2002 9:12:27 AM PDT by prophetic
THE Dalai Lama has questioned whether the war on terrorism was the best response to the September 11 attacks by Osama bin Laden.
Less than a week after the terrorist jetliner bombings, Tibet's spiritual and political leader suggested diplomats meet those responsible to discuss the frustrations that led to the attacks.
A month later, after addressing the European Parliament, the Nobel laureate again called for a non-violent approach.
But at a press conference in Melbourne today, the Dalai Lama admitted that talking to the al-Qaeda leader would probably achieve little.
He could not suggest a short-term solution to the terrorist threat, but he warned the war on terrorism could backfire.
"The difficulty with violence is (that) once you commit it, it's unpredictable," he said.
"At the beginning you may have certain intentions or certain aims but once you've committed violence then there's always a danger (it will get) out of control."
The Dalai Lama said war could create a cycle of violence and counter- violence that did little to solve the original problem.
He said World War II and the Korean War could be considered justified because one protected western democracy and the other protected South Korea's prosperity and freedom.
"But then Vietnam War, originally, (had the) same aim, the same motivation, but it completely failed," he said.
"(With) the Afghanistan scene, it seems as if the majority of local people seem to welcome the new situation, so you may have some justification.
"But then these are very temporary sort of measures."
The Dalai Lama said the long-term solution to the terrorist threat was to concentrate on basic human values rather than force.
He said the historical practice of the stronger nations with the most weapons having the biggest say was out-of-date.
Instead, the world's citizens had a shared responsibility to interact with and understand their neighbours.
"That's the best way," he said.
"That reduces their (the terrorists') suspicions, their feeling of distance."
The Dalai Lama said such a long-term solution would reduce "serious terrorist acts", although completely eliminating terrorism was impossible.
"So long as human beings remain on this planet, I think this will remain," he said.
The Dalai Lama is visiting Australia to promote Buddhist teachings of peace and to highlight Tibet's struggle for autonomy within China.
/sarcasm off**
gee these New Agers ignore the simple fact that people are free moral agents and that unless we deal with evil people very swiftly then it propogates swiftly as others seek to do the same thing.
Merely talking about it accomplishes nothing while give publicity, aid and comfort to the enemy.
And those would be.....what?
Man basic human value is to do evil all his days...and all that is necessary for evil to triumph
is for good men to do nothing..
HELLO DALAI!
I would not have expected him to answer in any other way.
It's not how I would answer, but perhaps I need to meditate on compassion a lot more.
I would not have expected him to answer in any other way.
It's not how I would answer, but perhaps I need to meditate on compassion a lot more.
I walk with Krishna on the field of battle.
Has the name Nobel become so devalued as to be worthless? To me it has. The Dalai Lama is only spouting the obvious but is trying to have it both ways. Very much like the anti-gun folks. Being non-violent to violent people is like volunteering to be the turkey in a turkey shoot.
The cure for pacifism is to keep hitting the pacisfist until he hits you back. Then he should thank you for curing his disorder.
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