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Dalai Lama in Germany
Simonthepilgrim
Veteran
The Dalal Lama is in Germany and has urged the rich nations to be more active in poverty relief:
http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=3,4514,0,0,1,0
Dalai Lama urges help for poorer nations
http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=3,4514,0,0,1,0
Dalai Lama urges help for poorer nations
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Comments
And, more private entities need to carry the torch. That in itself would make a huge difference.
Keep imagining............
Now, if you want to talk to the people who actually are multi-billionaires about this, be my guest, I'm sort of limited in what I can do right now.
Ahem, the U.S doesn't even pay its dues to the UN, let alone provide any aid to poorer countries. :winkc:
interesting articles and posts you have submitted, and I thank you for those....
Come along to the New Members' thread , in the Lotus Lounge, and tell us a bit about yourself....
hello to you!
Back up your statements.
I'd be grateful if, as has been requested by Moderators elsewhere, you be mindful of your tone and courtesy when addressing others.
Whilst your posts make sobering reading, the timbre of your comments to others leaves a little finesse to be desired.
Thank you.
Be mindful of your tone and courtesy when addressing others.
As Moderator on this forum, I assure you, I am.
I can quite understand the disappointment, Bushi. What strikes me, however, is that we really have not given the UN the time or the resources to do the job for which it was founded. In many ways, it resembles the United States itself. Not entirely surprising in view of the fact that the US was so moving a force in its creation.
The US was founded on principles which have, many times in the past two centuries. been undermined, corrupted and subverted. The real strength of US institutions is that, despite these episodes, it comes back to the aspirations of liberty and equality which informed its creation. Even a murderous civil war failed to destroy the system and the union. It seems deeply ironic that it should be in the US today that we are seeing such opposition to so young an institution.
Another thing is that over half the world's population is monotheistic, meaning Christian, Jewish or Muslim. There may be a billion Buddhists out there, but that doesn't stand up to over 3 billion monotheists who would just as soon place restrictions on the rest of us based upon their religious beliefs, and moving closer to a one world government would move closer to giving them that kind of power.
I'll even admit to some fear of an entity that could give rise to a one world government, simply because the Apocalyptic prophecies of Christianity and Islam are looking like they will be self-fulfilling, and such a hollow fulfillment, without any of the good points, would leave us in shambles worldwide. The ensuing world war that followed the collapse of such a government would set humankind back centuries, if not cause the extinction of mankind worldwide.
The UN as it was during the Cold War Era was a good thing, because it struck a balance and kept the 1st and 2nd worlds from going to all out war, minimizing the bloodshed. But, in the modern era, it has outlived it's purpose, and is yet another establishment rife with corruption, only there to make self-important people feel that they are still important.
Where we disagree is on the idea that a supra-national forum with sanction power has outlived its purpose. That the UN is not at its best again yet is undeniable. The question, for me, is whether it can be repaired and, remaking itself, become what its founders designed it to be.
In some of my conversations with people in the US, I have realised that, for some, the very question of a supra-national forum is, itself, unacceptable. There have been times when i have found myself getting quite heated on the subject: the UN remains a very powerful symbol to those of us who grew up in the shadow of WW2.
For international law, the Taliban Government in Afghanistan was contributing to bin Laden's material wealth, therefore any acts of his can be considered sanctioned by the Taliban. Even though he wasn't the one to fly planes into buildings, it was terrorists sponsored by him, to include training, which did. That sanctioning is legally no different than an act of war.
As for invasion, what little diplomacy which was exercised was a matter of course, as the Taliban had no intention of handing over bin Laden, which would have ended the supposition of sanction. It was indeed necessary in the world arena, and we could have tried a little harder at talks, but nobody really expected us to try any more than we had to after 9/11.
As for the ongoing conflict in both Afghanistan and Iraq, one of the alternatives is much worse. After the Gulf War, sanctions were imposed upon Iraq, which led to economic hardship for most of the people. Should we have left Afghanistan after the initial invasion, and handed them a bill for reparations, the situation would have been just as dire as sanctions. The American doctrine for dealing with a defeated nation is the same as post WWII. Rebuild. Germans and Japanese did not want US troops in their nations following their defeat, but they are much stronger nations today because of the effort to rebuild. No real insurgency existed in Germany and Japan, but there were still issues of the locals picking fights with those who were sent to occupy and rebuild.
We will both agree that bad policy decisions were made in 2003. Iraq could have waited. Afghanistan should have been better stabilized before any thought of invading a nation that would have not been a true threat for another five years crossed our military leaderships minds.
As for discussing what reasons there might have been for invading Iraq in '08, I can't because of Security Reasons.
How wonderful, Fede. You are a blessed whelk and we shall all benefit from your experience.
I am waiting, remembering sometimes, for an invitation to his seminar on inter-faith spirituality at the Dominican friary, Blackfriars, in Oxford. I am not holding my breath because there are much wiser and more learned people to invite first.
Whatever the outcome, I shall be giving thanks for his visit and I recognise that it brings up wonderful memories.