Is the Nobel Prize a Contradiction with the Dalai Lama?

I am as surprised as the rest of the world at President Obama receiving the Nobel Prize for Peace- and very pleased. It says a lot about how the world sees our President. It is truly a great accomplishment to even change the climate of the world toward America. His work is still ahead of him, but he’s made a substantial impact in the attitude of people throughout the world. That alone has renewed hope and optimism for a more peaceful and just future.

The latest buzz around the Dalai Lama would appear to be a contradiction with the goals of the Nobel Prize. But is it? The Robert Frost poem, “The Road Less Traveled”, comes to mind. The President is departing from the long standing, almost ritual act of meeting the Dalai Lama as a statement for human rights. Yet, the motivation in the past has been to use the meeting as political theater to rub China’s nose in their dirty laundry. Obviously, that strategy hasn’t worked. Tibet is still under full control of China. The President seems to be taking a new direction because he realizes that a photo op with the Dalai Lama would only infuriate the Chinese and do nothing to improve US-Tibet-China relations.

Like them or not, we buy most of our stuff from China today. We’re intertwined economically; while we remain at opposite poles politically. So why would he take this new direction, aside from the fact that the old direction was going nowhere? He sees the big picture, that’s why. If the President can endear himself to China, he may be able to use their investment in us as leverage to influence their domestic policies in the future. Someday that may even lead to a softer stand on Tibet. It’s at least worth a try.

If we can move from being just trading partners and become friends, other good things could happen. If we ever hope to develop a friendly relationship with China we have to refrain from embarrassing them in public- we don’t embarrass our friends in public- and this direction could pay dividends later. By taking the road less traveled, I think even the Dalai Lama sees the wisdom in his actions. What does he have to lose?

You can read more about the Dalai Lama and the Nobel Prize:

Obama and the Dalai Lama
Obama Gets Nobel Prize