Military action in Afghan, Iraq a failure: Dalai Lama

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq has proved to be a failure, the Dalai Lama said here.

"In Iran and Afghanistan, it is too early to say. So far, I think a failure, using military force. Hard liners are becoming even harder,"' the Tibetan spiritual leader said at a press conference here.

The Dalai Lama, who has been given an honorary degree of law by the University of Calgary, said the killings of innocent civilians in the conflict have created sympathy for the militants. However, military action in dire cases is justified, he said, referring to the intervention of the US in the Second World War and the Korean conflict.

Earlier, the Dalai Lama had the city's 15,000-strong audience riveted with his fun-filled, hour-long address on Wednesday.

About his trade-mark impish smile, he said amid laughter: "I am constantly smiling. Especially (at) some young women. They feel I am exploiting them or something like that."

Obliquely referring the Chinese calling him a 'splittist', the Tibetan monk said: "Some people call me living Buddha or god king. Some people call me demon .These are just labels. I am just another human being."'

An honorary citizen of Canada, the Dalai Lama was in Calgary to open the two-day NOW conference by the University of Calgary which conferred an honorary law degree on him.

"I should say a very special thank you because I am actually a very lazy student," the Tibetan Buddhist leader said of the honour by the university.

Canada is one of the few countries which have given the Dalai Lama the rare honour of honorary citizenship.