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Seduced by the Dalai Lama
He may be a global icon of goodness, as Pico Iyer's biography reminds us. But is the Dalai Lama the political leader Tibet needs?
By Louis Bayard [2008-03-25]

  • The Dalai Lama

    The Dalai Lama is the right man for this job, if there is one. We forget that Pope John Paul, the Polish Pope--and Mikhail Gorbachev brought the cold war to an end. The pope proved you can be spiritual and tough at the same time, and I think the Dalai Lama should follow that pattern.

    China can't be whipped by the force of arms. But courage and ideas and tough spiritual will and the force of world opinion might move the regime--against it's will.

    I have to say, though, I don't think it is smart to talk about stepping down. And I would be very careful to avoid assassination, which was tried on John Paul. And was successful in Gandhi's case--in India.

    I greatly admire the Dalai Lama, without knowing anything about his religion and little about his country.

    -- rphillips111
    [Read rphillips111's other letters]
    Tuesday, March 25, 2008 08:37 PM
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