plawolf
Lieutenant General
Both the CIA and the USSR stopped supporting those terrorists long ago.
Credit where its due, I think the Dalai Lama has helped to keep the violence in Tibet to a much lower level than it could have been.
Espionage involving China
- Thread starter kroko
- Start date
Both the CIA and the USSR stopped supporting those terrorists long ago.
Credit where its due, I think the Dalai Lama has helped to keep the violence in Tibet to a much lower level than it could have been.
JayBird
Junior Member
Good point. I think it was due to both self image concern and also Buddhism is fundamentally a peaceful religion against physical violence. That's why we've seen far less violent acts in Tibet compare to the Xinjiang region.
And I don't think any major world powers today support terrorists anymore. Terrorist groups is a two edged sword that can hurt yourself even more sometimes. The new tactic now seems to be supporting and influence different voices within the current regime and let them do the work for you.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
I think that's a bit of a simplification.
Its not really the religion that is peaceful or not, but rather the interpretation. Remember, it is the priests who hold power over religion, God is just the guy they use to get everyone else to listen to them.
If you look at the ugly situation in Mynmar, or in Tibet itself, you have the dorje shugden controversy, which led to some very nasty things being done to people, often, most chillingly, but their own friends and family.
Those are very recent examples of Buddhism being used to justify extreme violence and murder.
I'd rather not get into why the Dalai Lama preach else what he preaches, but irrespective of that, I think we can all agree that he has played a positive role in if not keeping the violence down, at least not actively fanning the flames and inciting racial violence (towards the Han Chinese at least, not such a rosy picture for dorje shugden practitioners it seems).
*cough*, Libya, *cough* Syria, *cough* Ukriane.
Of course, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
The big difference is that China is now strong enough that no major power would dare openly support terrorists targeting China. But the same old crap is still being heaped on other, weaker countries who have not power or means to push back.
solarz
Brigadier
Nah, I think that's a bit of a simplification. IMO, the DL is great at public relations, but he's had very little influence on the actual Tibet Separatism movement.
I would instead note that unlike Tibetan Buddhism, the Uighur militancy is connected to a greater Islamic militancy movement spanning the entire Middle East. This is especially apparent these days with ISIS in the front page, but we should remember that violent Islamic militancy stretches back decades, if not centuries.
On the other hand, the Tibetan branch of Buddhism is fairly isolated, and Tibetan Buddhism is AFAIK the only Buddhist sect that seeks to (re)establish a theocracy. So aside from the CIA's half-hearted support, these guys don't have any other means of mounting an armed insurgency.
broadsword
Brigadier
GreenestGDP
Junior Member
Just a moment ago, ... ...
did you see Rebiya Kadeer coughing ?
I thought I just did saw her ... coughing ... ...
Just joking:
That must be some sweet, sweet Xinjiang cantaloupe.
Back to the main topic ... ...
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On a sidenote, Not surprised that some of my Chinese American acquaintances have shown strong signs of Stockholm Syndrome. They have to proof themselves to colleague as more American than Americans and would go out of their way to disparage anything Chinese. Sad but it does happen to some.
They're such idiots!! Just leave already. Don't they understand that country hates Asians to the core.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
Such discrimination is idiotic and counterproductive, and will actually hurt American interests in the long term because Chinese and other Asian scientists form a significant part of America's R&D backbone.
American technological superiority is based largely on the work these people do.
Much of America's much lamented fall in its technological edge compared to China is down to talented scientists and researchers quitting the US and returning to China, because for the first time, China can offer then salaries, facilities and grants competitive with what they could get in the best western institutions.
Many are have already returned because of financial reasons, and others for personal reasons. Far more will leave for China if America creates a climate of fear, suspicion and hostility towards them.
American technological superiority is based largely on the work these people do.
Much of America's much lamented fall in its technological edge compared to China is down to talented scientists and researchers quitting the US and returning to China, because for the first time, China can offer then salaries, facilities and grants competitive with what they could get in the best western institutions.
Many are have already returned because of financial reasons, and others for personal reasons. Far more will leave for China if America creates a climate of fear, suspicion and hostility towards them.
