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Shared with the usual disclaimer....
Monk Calls for Trilateral Shared Military
Jeff Davis, Embassy, 31 Oct 07
Article link
The Dalai Lama, the world-renowned Buddhist spiritualist and spokesman for the Tibetan people, spoke in Ottawa last Sunday to a crowd of 8,000. He addressed Burma, criticized U.S. policy in Iraq, and suggested the fusion of U.S.-Canada-Mexico militaries into an international joint force.
The monk gave an ambitiously political speech, addressing a range of geopolitical issues and giving suggestions on how to achieve world peace.
The Dalai Lama applauded the success of the European Union as a contributor to world peace, and suggested joint international armed forces as a further guarantor on peace.
"Eventually the European Union should create a unified force and all member states should share the same number of troops, then that would guarantee no longer any conflict among [European] nations," he said.
He said similar joint forces should be established around the world.
"One day, I wish the United States, Canada and Mexico should create a unified force," he said, adding that regions such as Africa and South America should do the same.
The Dalai Lama said he has advised European MPs to pursue closer ties with Russia. He suggested NATO headquarters be moved to Moscow, eliciting nervous murmurs from the crowd.
He criticized U.S. policy in Iraq, diagnosing the cause of policy blunders as a "lack of awareness about reality."
This lack of realistic perception, he said, causes "the whole policy or method [to] become unrealistic," and therefore unpragmatic and ineffective.
As a result, he said, U.S. policy in Iraq, "is not solving the problem, but increasing the problem."
The Dalai Lama also described his recent meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush, calling the leader "a very nice person, very simple, straightforward, [and with] no formality."
The monk took the occasion to state his support of the so-called Saffron Revolution in Burma.
"I express my solidarity with Burmese monks and with the Burmese democratic movement," he said
He said he thinks that governments worldwide are growing increasingly concerned with the situation in Burma, and called on China to intervene.
"Some stronger influence from the Chinese government to the Burmese government may help," he said, "and to some extent Indian government also."
He advised the Burmese activists to resist the temptation to violence, and discussed why violent resistance is sometimes counterproductive when facing an overwhelming powerful foe.
"It's very important to keep our non-violent principle," he concluded.
The Dalai Lama also addressed his own nation's ongoing sovereignty dispute with China.
"We are not seeking separation from the People's Republic of China," he said, adding that the aspiration of the Tibetan people is "meaningful autonomy."
He added that remaining part of China is advantageous in terms of economic development, something he says is desperately needed in the impoverished Himalayan province.
Monk Calls for Trilateral Shared Military
Jeff Davis, Embassy, 31 Oct 07
Article link
The Dalai Lama, the world-renowned Buddhist spiritualist and spokesman for the Tibetan people, spoke in Ottawa last Sunday to a crowd of 8,000. He addressed Burma, criticized U.S. policy in Iraq, and suggested the fusion of U.S.-Canada-Mexico militaries into an international joint force.
The monk gave an ambitiously political speech, addressing a range of geopolitical issues and giving suggestions on how to achieve world peace.
The Dalai Lama applauded the success of the European Union as a contributor to world peace, and suggested joint international armed forces as a further guarantor on peace.
"Eventually the European Union should create a unified force and all member states should share the same number of troops, then that would guarantee no longer any conflict among [European] nations," he said.
He said similar joint forces should be established around the world.
"One day, I wish the United States, Canada and Mexico should create a unified force," he said, adding that regions such as Africa and South America should do the same.
The Dalai Lama said he has advised European MPs to pursue closer ties with Russia. He suggested NATO headquarters be moved to Moscow, eliciting nervous murmurs from the crowd.
He criticized U.S. policy in Iraq, diagnosing the cause of policy blunders as a "lack of awareness about reality."
This lack of realistic perception, he said, causes "the whole policy or method [to] become unrealistic," and therefore unpragmatic and ineffective.
As a result, he said, U.S. policy in Iraq, "is not solving the problem, but increasing the problem."
The Dalai Lama also described his recent meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush, calling the leader "a very nice person, very simple, straightforward, [and with] no formality."
The monk took the occasion to state his support of the so-called Saffron Revolution in Burma.
"I express my solidarity with Burmese monks and with the Burmese democratic movement," he said
He said he thinks that governments worldwide are growing increasingly concerned with the situation in Burma, and called on China to intervene.
"Some stronger influence from the Chinese government to the Burmese government may help," he said, "and to some extent Indian government also."
He advised the Burmese activists to resist the temptation to violence, and discussed why violent resistance is sometimes counterproductive when facing an overwhelming powerful foe.
"It's very important to keep our non-violent principle," he concluded.
The Dalai Lama also addressed his own nation's ongoing sovereignty dispute with China.
"We are not seeking separation from the People's Republic of China," he said, adding that the aspiration of the Tibetan people is "meaningful autonomy."
He added that remaining part of China is advantageous in terms of economic development, something he says is desperately needed in the impoverished Himalayan province.
