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Dalai Lama says the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are failures so far – Metro US

Dalai Lama says the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are failures so far

CALGARY – The Dalai Lama says the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are failures so far, but it’s too soon to tell if there will be positive outcomes in the end.

Speaking to reporters in Calgary, the Tibetan spiritual leader said some military interventions, such as the Second World War and the Korean War, have had overall positive effects.

But he says the use of military force in Afghanistan and Iraq has resulted in hard-liners becoming even more strict in their beliefs.

He says if the billions of dollars spent on military action by both Canada and the United States had gone to education and health care in Afghanistan, the picture today would be quite different.

The Dalai Lama is in Calgary for the first time in 30 years to take part in a conference.

He also responded to questions about the Alberta oilsands by saying that while there can be a balance, sometimes profits need to be forfeited to avoid the destruction of the environment.