Didn't Mr. Dali Lama support Bush's illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq?

[NNN0LHI]

Seems I remember he did. Wonder what he has to say about that now?

Don

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. No, he didn't.

http://www.tibet.com/NewsRoom/iraq1.htm

[Rhythm and Blue]

4. Heh, simulpost with the same link

[Rhythm and Blue]

2. No. Where on Earth did you hear that?

http://www.tibet.com/NewsRoom/iraq1.htm

But what can we do? What can we do when big powers have already made up their minds? All we can do is to pray for a gradual end to the tradition of wars...When weapons are fired, the result will be death and destruction. Weapons will not discriminate between the innocent and guilty. A missile, once fired, will show no respect to the innocent, poor, defenseless, or those worthy of compassion. Therefore, the real losers will be the poor and defenseless, ones who are completely innocent, and those who lead a hand-to-mouth existence...let us pray that there be no war at all, if possible. However, if a war does break out, let us pray that there be a minimum bloodshed and hardship. I don't know whether our prayers will be of any practical help. But this is all we can do for the moment.

[UGADUer]

3. Are you kidding?

...

[DrunkenMaster]

5. Don't Know Much about His Holiness, Do You?

Seems you remember wrong, Bunky.

[cali]

8. No kidding.

Most ignorant post I've seen in a while.

[SharonAnn]

11. The Llama Song

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/llama

[bulldogge]

17. By His Holiness

do you mean George W ? Lol

[Stephanie]

6. In fact he planned a trip there to try to stop the bombing before it happened.

He was to go with Nelson Mandela and other peace leaders, but they couldn't make the arrangements in time. I know this because he told the story when he was here in NY a few years ago in Central Park.

[cali]

7. Fuck no.

sheesh. Why post this based on some fuzzy erroneous memory?

[gateley]

9. The Dalai Lama is a man of peace. nt

[Sanity Claws]

10. You don't much about the Dalai Lama

I suggest that you do some reading about him. You'll see that it is ludicrous to think that he encouraged any kind of violence.

[endarkenment]

12. 'the' not 'Mister'.

That is as ignorant as saying "Didn't Mr. Pope support Bush's illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq?", and equally wrong too.

[MonkeyFunk]

13. No

you're thinking of when he said the Rwandan genocide was "bitchin' cool" and said the leaders of Burma were right to smack down those "uppity monks".

[DefenseLawyer]

14. A quick google search

Found an AP story dated September 10, 2003 titled "Dali Lama says Iraq war may be justified". A snip from the story -The Dalai Lama said Wednesday that the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan may have been justified to win a larger peace, but that is it too soon to judge whether the Iraq war was warranted. "I think history will tell," he said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, just after he met with President Bush. -
Not exactly an endorsement, but definitely wasn't against it either.

[NNN0LHI]

16. I remember posting that article. Him and Bush are pretty tight

http://india.indymedia.org/en/2003/09/7833.shtml

Dali Lama says Iraq War May Be Justified
By Scott Lindlaw 11/09/2003 At 00:01


The exiled Tibetan leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner said some wars, including the Korean War and World War II, helped "protect the rest of civilization, democracy."


Dali Lama says Iraq War May Be Justified


Dali Lama: Iraq War May Be Justified
Scott Lindlaw, AP, September 10, 2003 11:09 PM

The Dalai Lama said Wednesday that the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan may have been justified to win a larger peace, but that is it too soon to judge whether the Iraq war was warranted. "I think history will tell," he said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, just after he met with President Bush.

"In principle, I always believe nonviolence is the right thing, and nonviolent method is in the long run more effective," said the Dalai Lama, who after the Sept. 11 attacks had implored Bush to avoid a violent response by the United States.

The exile Tibetan leader, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, said the Vietnam War increased suffering and was a "failure." But, he said, some wars, including the Korean War and World War II, helped "protect the rest of civilization, democracy." He said he saw a similar result in Afghanistan - "perhaps some kind of liberation."

"The people themselves, I think, suffer a lot under their previous regimes," he said. But he was adamant that the United States not lose sight of rebuilding Afghanistan.

The Dalai Lama urged Bush, in a letter on Sept. 12, 2001, to "think seriously whether a violent action is the right thing to do and in the greater interest of the nation and people in the long run." Asked whether the Iraq war was just, the Dalai Lama said the situation there is "more complicated" and will take more time before he can judge.

The Dalai Lama said he had briefly raised these concerns to Bush during their meeting in the White House residence. He declined to say what Bush's response was.

[Rhythm and Blue]

23. How do you get "pretty tight" from that?

He asked Bush to reconsider invading Afghanistan, asked him not to invade Iraq, and then said that if the invasion of Afghanistan ended up improving the lives of of the Afghan people, it might end up as a good thing. He never claimed he supported Iraq.

[cali]

18. No. Please read this:

From a Democracy Now! interview:

DALAI LAMA: It is unfair to blame everything on Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein without this powerful army he can't be dictator. Without military sophisticated weapons it's impossible to build a powerful army. So, these weapons are not produced there, but come from the West. And one time when the Lebanon Civil War was going on, I met one French lady. She told me in one city, one site people, innocent people killing. One site some business making business selling weapons, bullets. If you truly analyze how this dictatorship developed, from many causes, many conditions, including western nations’ own contribution. So that's my view. Since it's such a complex, it is easy to eliminate one person or small group of people, but unless very sort of carried that message realistically without emotion possibly more compassionate, more wisdom, eliminate ten people it creates hundred people. Hundred people eliminate thousand people. This would go.

So the real method is personal contact, person to person, face to face. Talk. At that time I also expressed Bin Laden also have lot of reasons to complain. Listen to his view. What's his complaint. Terrorism is a sort of mutual suffering. They’ve also suffered. Therefore, lead, listen, talk, and try to find way to solve that which is causing their complaint. That's the humane way. Therefore, after the Iraq war started, and before the war started some people from Europe also America asked me, should go to Baghdad and do something. And I thought, a Muslim capital -- a Buddhist monk go there? I don't know.

(Laughs)

Maybe I think good excuse my selfish feeling, I don't know. If I go there something happen. But realistically speaking, also, how much effect if I go? Whether Iraqi government gives me permission or not that’s also the question. So, In any way, that is sort of the experience, then I felt, some sort of respected people, as a group should take more active role on behalf of humanity not this government or that government or United Nations. Simply, a warm heart, with possibly the sense of responsibility of humanity and group. I think, go there, as a group. I'm willing to join few other more then I can go.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/09/25/1443250

[DefenseLawyer]

19. So is he misquoted in the first story?

I get that his people complained that the story "gave a misleading impression" but is he misquoted or not? For my money "History will tell" is kind of equivocal, if that's in fact what he said.

[cali]

20. As you can tell

his english isn't great, so I have no idea if he was speaking English or using a translator. But I am familiar with him, and I think I can state with confidence that he would not have supported the Iraq war.

[DefenseLawyer]

25. Fair point

I am not Lama bashing here, was just curious as to what the OP thought he remembered and found the story which he was probably recalling.

[Rhythm and Blue]

22. He opposed the invasion beforehand, though.

let us pray that there be no war at all, if possible. However, if a war does break out, let us pray that there be a minimum bloodshed and hardship. I don't know whether our prayers will be of any practical help. But this is all we can do for the moment.

First two replies have that link.

In your post he said that if the Afghanistan war leads to a larger peace, it might end up being a good thing. He said that it was too early to say that Iraq could be justifiable. Not exactly "supporting the Iraq war," is it?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

15. Now I know you didn't intend to (I think)...

but you just posted one of the most hilarious/bizarre/Wwwaaaa???? posts I have ever seen on DU. :rofl:

[whoneedstickets]

21. Yeah! I hear he also runs a torture/rendition camp in Nepal!

That water-boarding saffron-robed S.O.B.

That's it no more monks should be admitted to the School of the Americas!

[blondeatlast]

24. Auditioning for the part of "unmentioned flamebait poster" just in case No. 1

is laid to rest at last? at least No. 1 cites a source even if it's specious.

Spare me--and there have been at least three citations already that prove how abso-effing-lutely inane your the OP is.

[rumpel]

26. for some

Buddhist philosophy may be difficult to understand and for students it takes an entire life and many more lifetimes of pondering...

Perhaps the following can explain a little where he is coming from...

A few quotes:

"It may surprise you, perhaps, but I am not strictly opposed to the spectacle of violence and crime. It all depends on the lessons you draw from it."

and

"When we talk about violence, we must understand that we are speaking about a phenomenon in which it is almost impossible to predict the outcome. Even though the motivation on the part of the perpetrator of the act may be pure and positive, when violence is used as a means, it is very difficult to predict the consequences. For this reason, it is always better to avoid a situation that may require violent means. However, tolerance and patience do not imply submission or giving in to injustice."

from the book:
"The Path To Tranquility"

I do not believe he will ever "support" a war, however he will "accept" - more out of compassion and tolerance and understanding of human nature.

[AlCzervik]

27. is Mr. Dali Lama another guy, like your neighbor or something? the spelling

is different and i'm pretty sure The Dalai Lama doesn't support preemptive wars.