Perspectives on Terrorism and Nonviolence
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March 2003
February 2003
January 2003
December 2002
November 2002
October 2002
September 2002
August 2002
July 2002
June 2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002
February 2002
January 2002
December 2001
November 2001
October 2001
September 2001
Pre-September 2001

March 2003

Spiritual Politics and the Post Iraq Realities of Global Discourse – March 31, 2003, by Rabbi Michael Lerner.

In this recent speech, Rabbi Michael Lerner proposes an alternative approach to achieving global security. He calls for a reforming spiritual politics focused on “Teaching and putting forward a different vision of the world, a vision that supports the hunger for mutual connection and the actual real desire of people to find a world based on love and not on domination and power over others.”

An Army of Propaganda –March 31, 2003, by Kari Lydersen, Alternet.
(http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15507)

Lydersen argues that the mainstream American press has been purposefully and effectively manipulated into a style of war reporting that directly suits U.S. military public relations needs. By self-imposed suppression of anti-war statements and through airing a “sanitized view of the conflict,” Lydersen believes the media “serves an important political purpose for the U.S. administration, both in downplaying the vulnerability of U.S. troops and dehumanizing and de-emphasizing Iraqi casualties, especially of civilians.”

Another World is Possible – March 19, 2003, by Bob Wing, Wartimes.
(http://www.war-times.org/current/anotherworld.html)

This article details the major accomplishments of the global peace movement thus far, highlighting “the emergence of a new superpower: the world’s people.” Wing explores the many obstacles that need to be overcome for this international movement to grow and strengthen as a force for change.

This Present Moment: Living in Baghdad on the Eve of War – March 18, 2003, by Ramzi Kysia.
(http://www.wagingpeace.org/articles/03.03/0318ramzi_living.htm)

In a recent journal entry, an American member of the Iraq Peace Team stresses that he is in Baghdad not to act as a human shield, but rather to be a voice for the Iraqi people and to represent an “affirmation of life.” Kysia notes, “The senseless brutality of this war signals future crimes of still greater inhumanity.”

Letter To A Young Activist During Troubled Times – March, 2003, by Clarissa Pinkola Estés.
(http://www.mavenproductions.com/estes.html)

This hopeful and poetic letter assures young peacemakers that the start of war does not weaken the impact of their months of protest, but rather it signifies the importance of the work ahead. Estés writes, “One of the most important steps you can take to help calm the storm is to not allow yourself to be taken in a flurry of overwrought emotion or despair thereby accidentally contributing to the swale and the swirl. Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.”

Looking for Hope – March, 2003, by Daisaku Ikeda.
(http://www.sgi.org/english/President/essays/looking.htm)

In an essay written prior to the U.S. war in Iraq, BRC founder Daisaku Ikeda critiques a glorified view of armed conflict that ignores the irreplaceable quality of individual human life and diminishes the brutal reality of war. Dr. Ikeda asserts, “Behind the computer game-like graphics are real human beings, just like us—someone’s son or daughter, someone’s best friend or lover. The buildings may be rebuilt, but the wounds and scars of violence never heal.”

The Will of the World – March 10, 2003, by Jonathan Schell, The Nation.
(http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030310&s=schell)

This article suggests that a movement towards global democracy will grow out of the recent worldwide peace demonstrations. Schell defines the significance of February 15, 2003, "as the first time that the people of the world expressed their clear and concerted will in regard to a pressing global issue."

The Case Against the War – March 3, 2003, by Jonathan Schell, The Nation.
(http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030303&s=schell)

Schell writes, " The movement against the war in Iraq should also become a movement for something, and that something should be a return to the long-neglected path to abolition of all weapons of mass destruction." In a thorough argument, Schell shows how the current U.S. policy enforcing a double standard vis-à-vis nuclear and non-nuclear states works to promote a dangerous proliferation of nuclear weapons throughout the world.

February 2003

Washington's Folly: Winning a War and Losing the World – February 27, 2003, by William Pfaff, International Herald Tribune. (http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0227-08.htm)

This article examines how the Bush administration's "manners in campaigning for war have provoked a real anti-Americanism in West European opinion, going much beyond mere dissent on this one issue." Pfaff believes that U.S. attempts to alienate France and Germany from the rest of Europe for their vocal opposition of Washington's war policy could actually create a more unified and effective European Union.

Howard Must Not Involve Us In An Illegal War – February 26, 2003. (http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/25/1046064031296.html)

This statement by a team of Australian legal experts argues that a U.S. led attack on Iraq would be a violation of international law. The group writes, "A principle of pre-emption would allow national agendas to destroy the system of collective security contained in chapter VII of the UN charter and return us to the pre-1945 era where might equaled right."

Victory Without a War – February 26, 2003, by Robert Kuttner, Boston Globe. (http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0226-10.htm)

This article explores how, with the fall of communism, Vietnam developed into a semi-capitalist country, and that this result would have happened regardless of the outcome of the American war. Kuttner believes the same could be true of Iraq. While under the scrutiny of the international community, Saddam is currently unable to produce and use weapons of mass destruction. A change in regime is inevitable, so why not save thousands of lives, "declare victory and go home?"

Is Truth a Victim – February 25, 2003, by Madeleine Holt, BBC News. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/1991885.stm)

Holt reports on the recent rise in documentary television programs about the American military. These reality TV programs are being "produced with the co-operation of the Department of Defense, which is offering documentary makers unprecedented access." Several news journalists have criticized these programs for showing a biased and sensationalized version of war.

America Is 'Old Europe' – February 21, 2003, by Nina Burleigh. (http://www.tompaine.com/feature.cfm/ID/7294/view/print)

This article contends that when the Bush administration demands regime change and democracy in Iraq, it shows that the U.S. hasn't learned from past European mistakes. Burleigh states that through the failures of two world wars and bloody colonization attempts, "Europeans know a few things about mass violence, occupation, unilateral action and the dangerous admixture of national arrogance and national ignorance."

We Are The People – February 17, 2003, by Madeleine Bunting, The Guardian. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,896996,00.html)

In this vivid London perspective on the February 15, 2003, global peace demonstrations, Bunting writes, "Not one bomb has been dropped on Iraq, not one shot fired and already there has been the biggest global protest movement ever seen. What happens once the orphans, the widowed and the killed appear on our screens?"

Report from Iraq – February 11, 2003, by Charlie Clements. (http://www.irc-online.org/content/clements.feb12.03_body.html)

In a detailed description of an Iraqi population devastated from years of economic sanctions, Clements, a public health physician, warns that another war could multiply the numbers of malnourished civilians. Clements explains that Iraq's major source of sustenance, the UN's Oil-for-Food program is "heavily dependent upon the transportation system, which will be one of the first targets of the war, as the U.S. will attempt to sever transport routes to prevent Iraqi troop movements."

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January 2003

Understanding The U.S.-Israel Relationship – January/February, 2003, by Stephen Zunes, Fellowship Magazine. (http://www.forusa.org/Fellowship/Jan-Feb_03/Zunes.html)

This article explores the role Israel has played in protecting American interests throughout the Middle East. In return the U.S. has given the Israeli government billions of dollars in economic and military assistance. Zunes argues that this arrangement puts Israel in a permanently unstable position. He suggests that the U.S. needs to "maintain a militarily powerful, belligerent Israel," and that "real regional peace could undermine this relationship."

Gunning for War – January 20, 2003, by Mohsin Hamid, Time Asia (http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/asia_iraq/viewpoint.html)

This article argues that just as Islam is misrepresented by violence committed by a minority of its followers, so is democracy contradicted by the seemingly endless war on terrorism begun by one nation. Hamid writes, "Claiming that democracy, freedom and human rights justify war with Iraq is as dangerous as claiming that Islam justifies killing American civilians."

Peace as a Civil Right – January 19, 2003, by Representative Dennis Kucinich (http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0122-09.htm)

Kucinich examines the political and economic motivations for a U.S. attack on Iraq. In the spirit of Martin Luther King´s dedication to nonviolence, Kucinich declares, "We must reject this White House war mentality and the unfortunate energy policy which spawns it, or we are facing endless war over diminishing resources."

The 29th Day for America? – January 14, 2003, by James Carroll, Boston Globe (http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0114-01.htm)

Carroll explores the connection between U.S. refusal to commit to nuclear disarmament and increased tensions in India, Pakistan, and North Korea. According to Carroll, the Bush administration´s goal of U.S. military dominance has "surely led to a doubling and redoubling of an attitude of reliance on weapons of mass destruction," around the world.

"No to war!" Is anyone listening? – January 9, 2003, by Alexander Cockburn (http://www.workingforchange.com/printitem.cfm?itemid=14336)

This article asks and answers the question, "Are growing international peace demonstrations making any difference?" Despite attempts by the Bush Administration to "deprecate and downplay the world protests in their reports," Cockburn asserts that it is impossible for the White House to ignore consistent turnouts of 500,000 throughout Europe.

Why We Need Women's Actions and Feminist Voices for Peace – January 6, 2003, by Starhawk (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=536)

Feminist activist Starhawk states, "Women cannot be liberated by the tanks and bombs of those who are continuing centuries-old policies of exploitation." Starhawk urges the growing female peace movement to promote the values of justice and nonviolence, and to "assert that compassion is not weakness and brutality is not strength."

Activists Stand Up For Peace – January 5, 2003, by Mark Porter, Bellingham Herald (http://www.ccmep.org/2003_articles/Iraq/010503_activists_stand_up_for_peace.htm)

Porter reports on a recent Washington State protest where participants held "No Iraq War" signs on highway overpasses in three counties. The protestors believe that the "overwhelmingly positive response" they received from the estimated 12,000 passing vehicles, is proof that many Americans "have the same feelings but they don´t know if there is someone else who agrees with them."

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December 2002

Seeking a Path to Toleration – December 20, 2002, by David J. Craig, The Bostonia (http://www.bu.edu/alumni/bostonia/2002/winter/seligman/)

This article highlights a faith-based initiative that seeks to encourage "religious educators to shape compassionate attitudes toward people of other faiths by appealing to lessons from their own." Boston University´s Toleration Project is helping schools in Israel, Germany, and Bosnia add themes of nonviolence to their existing curricula.

Women's Group Fasts in Antiwar Message – December 16, 2002, by Darryl McGrath, Boston Globe. (http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/1216-02.htm)

This article highlights a women´s peace group fasting in reaction to the possibility of a U.S. invasion of Iraq. The New York-based Women Against War began their protest on December 5, 2002, with over 60 women promising to fast for 24 hours, in an "exclusively female" statement "about how a war would injure, kill, or displace thousands of woman civilians in Iraq."

Thank You, Philip Berrigan – December 11, 2002, by James Carroll, Boston Globe. (http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/printer_1289.shtml)

Carroll eulogizes the life of Philip Berrigan, the former Catholic priest and peace activist. During the Cold War era, Berrigan prophetically warned that America's war culture "will spark a momentum toward mass violence that will be its own justification, and it will be unstoppable."

A Sacred Day in New York – December 10, 2002, by Chris Vaeth. (http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=1&ItemID=2731)

This article focuses on a recent faith-based gathering in New York where over 100 religious leaders blocked the sidewalk in front of the U.S. Mission to the UN to protest the suffering of war and poverty. Vaeth, who was part of the multi-faith group, suggests that "The violence that our government commits abroad is funded by the violence of poverty at home."

Jimmy Carter-Nobel Lecture – December 10, 2002, by Jimmy Carter. (http://www.nobel.se/peace/laureates/2002/carter-lecture.html)

In his Nobel Peace Prize speech, the former president urges the current administration to use restraint, rather than force, and to "avoid adopting a principle of preventive war." Carter stresses that war "is always an evil, never a good." In his closing remarks he added, "We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other´s children."

Afghan Women: Enduring American "Freedom" – December 5, 2002, by Sonali Kolhatkar. (http://www.guerrillanews.com/human_rights/doc852.html)

Kolhatkar challenges President Bush's January 2002 State of the Union Address which declared that Afghan women were freed by the American military campaign. According to Kolhatkar, the liberation of Afghan women simply has not happened. "Food, security, access to healthcare, and safety from physical violence are key aspects of women´s rights that the U.S. intervention has largely ignored or in some cases even jeopardized."

Why we are losing the war –December 1, 2002, by Peter Beaumont, The Observer. (http://www.observer.co.uk/worldview/story/0,11581,851324,00.html)

Beaumont explores the idea that the war on terrorism is "not simply one of missiles, snatch squads and bullets. It is quintessentially one of ideas." By focusing on "hit lists" of suspected terrorist organizations and ignoring the root causes of terrorism, Beaumont believes that not only will we prolong the cycle of violence, we will also lose the war of ideas and create even more hatred of the U.S.

Lotus on the Lake: A Synthesis of East and West is Needed to Create World Peace – December, 2002, by Walter Dorn, Living Buddhism.

In this article, Dorn suggests that the path to global nonviolence is through a blending of the traditionally Eastern approach of inner transformation with the Western idea of "peace through institutional means." Dorn believes that "without an awareness of the deep inner causes of conflict it will be impossible to bring about an end to the existence of war. Conversely, without global institutions to encourage higher standards of behavior, it will be hard to find the means to develop an inner peace that spreads to others."

November 2002

No Child Unrecruited – November/December 2002, by David Goodman, Mother Jones (http://www.motherjones.com/news/outfront/2002/45/ma_153_01.html)

This article critiques a provision of the Bush Administration's "No Child Left Behind" legislation of 2001. The provision in question requires high school administrators to release student contact information to military recruiters or lose much needed federal aid. Goodman states that "Recruiters are up-front about their plans to use school lists to aggressively pursue students through mailings, phone calls, and personal visits-even if parents object."

Journalist Helen Thomas Condemns Bush Administration – November 6, 2002, by Sarah H. Wright, MIT Tech Talk. (http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/tt/2002/nov06/thomas.html)

This article highlights a talk given by former United Press International reporter, Helen Thomas. Thomas states that in her 50 years as a journalist she has "never covered a president who actually wanted to go to war. Bush's policy of pre-emptive war is immoral-such a policy would legitimize Pearl Harbor. It's as if they learned none of the lessons from Vietnam."

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October 2002

Simulated Sniping – October 31, 2002, by Steve Osunsami, ABC News Online (http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/DailyNews/army_game021031.html)

Osunsami reports on a controversial new U.S. Army video game that teaches players how to fire machine guns in "real-life situations." The game, "America´s Army," is widely popular among teens, but has stirred protests from parents who question whether the game is simply training future snipers. Despite assurances from military officials that the intention of the game is "to recruit, not teach," many parents feel it is "wrong for the military to unleash this game on America´s youth."

Naboth Had a Vineyard – October 26, 2002, by Uri Avnery (http://www.amin.org/eng/uri_avnery/2002/oct26.html)

This article highlights a recent initiative in the West Bank, where peaceful Israelis and Palestinians gathered olives together in an event that "combined a political demonstration with a useful act." Avnery, an Israeli peace activist who took part in the harvest, explains how sympathetic Israelis formed a "human shield" in front of olive-picking Palestinian villagers, as threats of violence came from nearby settlers.

Peace Rally Speech – October 26, 2002, by Charlotte Aldebron (http://ww.commondreams.org/views02/1101-06.htm)

In one of many recent speeches, 12-year-old Charlotte Aldebron questions the hypocrisy of adults who "tell kids to solve problems with words, while you kill people in Afghanistan." Aldebron relates several stories of young people suffering from the effects of war.

Address to the Security Council of the United Nations – October 23, 2002, by Gila Svirsky, co-founder of The Coalition of Women for Peace

In her address at the recent United Nations Security Council meeting on Resolution 1325, Gila Svirsky contends the Middle East conflict is not between Israelis and Palestinians, but "actually between Israelis and Palestinians who long for peace, on one side, and Israelis and Palestinians who don´t want peace, on the other." Svirsky, an Israeli activist who represented Women in Black at the session, describes the growing and "breathtaking" woman´s peace movement in Israel and worldwide.

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September 2002

Choose Hope and Change the World – September 28, 2002, by David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (http://www.wagingpeace.org/articles/02.10/1007krieger_earthsummit.htm)

In David Krieger´s 2002 Earth Charter Summit speech, he criticizes the leadership in Washington who are urgently "beating on the drums of war." Krieger quotes Hitler´s designated successor, Hermann Goering, who said, "Naturally the common people don´t want war, but after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship."

Alternatives to War – September 27, 2002, by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, San Francisco Chronicle. (http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0927-04.htm)

Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who will be a speaker at an upcoming BRC co-sponsored event at Wellesley College, voices concern over the U.S. "desire to rush to war." By launching a pre-emptive strike, "We risk destabilizing the Middle East and setting an international precedent that could come back to haunt us all." Instead, Lee urges the U.S. to "re-engage the diplomatic processes" by working with the United Nations "in the resumption of arms inspections, negotiation, regional cooperation and other diplomatic means."

The Ancient Global Lesson of 9/11: No More Killing – September 13, 2002, by Glenn D. Paige, President of the Center for Global Nonviolence. (http://www.transnational.org/forum/Nonviolence/2002/Paige_Sept11NoMoreKilling.html)

In this article, Paige writes, "The global lesson of 9.11 is that we humans must learn to stop killing each other." He argues that to "facilitate transition to a nonkilling world," humans must "stop praying, planning, training, arming and threatening to kill." Paige suggests several ways of breaking the cycle of "counter atrocity."

One Year Later: September Eleventh 2002 Statement – September 11, 2002, by September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows. (http://www.peacefultomorrows.org/writing/sept1102statement.html)

This statement asks that "the commemoration of September 11th serve as a call for peace and healing, not for more war and violence." The members of September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows "mourn the loss of life to violence throughout the world" and wonder how "our loved ones lost (on 9/11) would feel about what has been done in their names?"

Real Battles and Empty Metaphors – September 10, 2002, by Susan Sontag, The New York Times

Sontag suggests that the war against terrorism, much like the war on drugs, is not so much a real war as it is a metaphor used by the Bush administration. In effect, it grants the U.S. government "permission to do what it wants. When it wants to intervene somewhere it will. It will brook no limits on its power."

"Am I proud to have served my country? Hardly" – September 2, 2002, by Krystal Kyer. (http://www.yellowtimes.org/article.php?sid=646&=thread&=0)

Prior to serving in the Gulf War, Kyer "believed in the modern, sterile, bloodless war," but after four years of military service she came to "reject war, once and for all, since war is just state-sanctioned terrorism on a mass scale." This article describes Kyer's personal journey from being an enthusiastic Navy recruit to becoming an anti-war activist.

Waging Peace – September/October 2002, Interview by Todd R. Nelson with Swanee Hunt, , Hope Journal. (http://www.hopemag.com/issues/2002/septOct/specialwaging.htm)

In the course of a wide-ranging interview that includes recommendations for citizen action, former Ambassador to Austria Swanee Hunt explains the title of the Kennedy School's Global Initiative she chairs, Women Waging Peace: "It is waging peace because peace must be waged. The forces for violent conflict are extraordinarily strong, and the forces that counter that violence must be similarly strong."

The Hidden Lesson of 9/11: Home-To-World Terrorism – Fall, 2002, by Riane Eisler, President of the Center for Partnership Studies

In this article, Eisler declares that "throughout history the most violently despotic and warlike cultures have been those where violence, or the threat of violence, is used to maintain domination of parent over child and man over woman." Eisler, along with Betty Williams, founded the Spiritual Alliance to Stop Intimate Violence in hopes of encouraging religious leaders to "speak out against intimate violence" and to work towards breaking the cycle of violence found in families all over the world.

Building a New Force – Fall, 2002, Michael N. Nagler, Yes! A Journal of Positive Futures. (http://www.futurenet.org/23livingeconomy/nagler.htm)

This article describes efforts to create a new "standing nonviolent army of thousands," backed by Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, a network of participants, and a feasibility study presenting a growing body of evidence that nonviolent intervention works. "While the U.S. government insists there is no alternative to endless war, the Nonviolent Peaceforce," Nagler observes, "is quietly attempting to institutionalize a proven alternative."

August 2002

An Interview with Linda Lantieri – Summer 2002, BRC interview by Masao Yokota.

Linda Lantieri is the co-founder and national director of the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program of Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR). In this interview with BRC president Masao Yokota, from her office near Ground Zero in New York City, Lantieri emphasizes the creative aspect of conflict resolution and recalls her thoughts, feelings, and determination to "be in the center" in the aftermath of September 11, 2001.

Peace and Sustainable Development Will Rise or Fall Together – August 15, 2002, by David Krieger, Common Dreams. (http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0815-08.htm)

This article points out that "it is not likely that peace can be maintained in the longer term without sustainable development," which in turn is unlikely to take place in a climate of war. Krieger details the political, economic, military, and cultural trends that are factors in a currently destabilizing and unsustainable world. Depending on choices we make in the near term, these trends can change "by democratic means from within democratic states or they can continue until the world is embroiled in conflagration."

Visit Iraq! – August 9, 2002, by Jan Oberg, The Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research. (http://www.transnational.org/pressinf/2002/pf156_VisitIraq.html)

"Given the seriousness of the situation for us all," Oberg writes, "the extent to which Iraq belongs to a 'zone of silence' is mind-boggling." A TFF team arranged a fact-finding visit and saw for themselves the reality of the Iraqi people's current situation – locked in a "double cage of domestic and international politics." Oberg describes the visit in graphic detail and recommends that thousands of citizens, NGOs, media people, scholars, and diplomats go there as well and open their eyes to the "broader human reality of this problem called Iraq."

Hiroshima Peace Declaration August 2002 – August 6, 2002, by Tadotoshi Akiba. (http://www.friedenskooperative.de/themen/hir02-34.htm)

This speech by Mayor Akiba of Hiroshima, Japan, relates what happened to his city on August 6, 1945, to what is happening in the world today. Mayor Akiba speaks about "the annual reliving" of August 8, 1944, and is pained that people seem to forget the atrocities of war. "The path of reconciliationÉ so long advocated by the survivors has been abandoned."

The Verdict of History: Nonviolence Works – July/August 2002, by John Swomley, Fellowship Magazine. (http://www.forusa.org/Fellowship/Jul-Aug_02/Swomley.html).

Swomley suggests a peaceful revolution of "changing the attitudes of the most militarized nation in human history" is what is required to disarm terrorism. Using the example of the Cold War, he shows that nonviolent social activism has "relevance to the prevention or ending of terrorism or other forms of war."

Abolishing War UPDATE: A Conversation with Elise Boulding and Randall Forsberg – August 2002, BRC Interview. (http://www.brc21.org/ebrf_intro.html)

This three-part interview brings one of the BRC's most popular titles into a post-9/11 context. Abolishing War: Dialogue with Peace Scholars Elise Boulding and Randall Forsberg was published in 1998. Now, an updated dialogue revisits many of the themes and ideas of that book by focusing on three key areas: New Definitions of War and Terrorism and Our Moral Responses to Both; The Responsibility of International Institutions; and Strategies for Peace. With characteristic depth and wisdom, both Boulding and Forsberg offer complementary interpretations of our current predicament and point the way to a world without war.

July 2002

Some Top Military Brass Favor Status Quo in Iraq – July 28, 2002, by Thomas E. Ricks, The Washington Post (http://commondreams.org/headlines02/0728-06.htm)

This piece looks at the U.S. policy of containment vs. U.S. military attack of Iraq. Ricks reports that "many senior U.S. military officers contend that Saddam Hussein poses no immediate threat," and "there is no evidence of an Iraqi intent to work with terrorists to attack the United States."

Questions on Bush's War on Iraq- July23, 2002, by James Carroll, The Boston Globe (http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0723-01.htm)

Carroll states that because of democracy, "U.S. citizens are responsible for George W. Bush in ways that the people of Iraq are not responsible for Saddam Hussein." He outlines a number of "tough questions" for the Bush administration and challenges "the myth that war solves more problems than it creates."

The New Bush Doctrine - July 15, 2002, by Richard Falk, The Nation (http://www.thenation.com/docPrint.mhtml?i=20020715&s=falk)

Richard Falk denounces President Bush's "new strategic doctrine of military pre-emption" as a "repudiation of the core idea of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits any use of international force that is not undertaken in self-defense." Falk details America's previous commitment to the UN Charter vs. our new vision of using military force against "any state that is seen as hostile or makes moves to acquire weapons of mass destruction."

Peaceforce Poised to Intercede - July 14, 2002, by Eric Black, Star Tribune

This article gives the history and current status of a new Nonviolent Peaceforce, demonstrating peacemaking techniques that may be effective in trouble spots around the world. It outlines a successful operation carried out in Guatemala.

Moderate Muslims Under Siege- July 1, 2002, by Khaled Abou El Fadl, The New York TImes

The author explains how moderate American Muslims have been "fighting an exceedingly difficult battle on many fronts" since September 11th. He challenges the "psychological warfare of terrorism" employed by al-Qaeda spokesmen and reaffirms the moderate's belief in "an ethical and humane Islam [as] the only legitimate Islam."

June 2002

Howard Zinn and the War on Terror – June 17, 2002, Howard Zinn speaks with WBUR Boston's Tom Ashbrook (http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2002/0617_a.asp)

Historian Howard Zinn looks to "root causes" of the conflict and recommends resolving justified grievances. He criticizes the U.S. claim to self-defense in its war on terrorism. In this wide-ranging radio interview, Zinn emphasizes, among other things, that the U.S. "must stop being a military super power" and that the media has failed to be critical.

We Won't Deny Our Consciences – Several Signatories, June 14, 2002, The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4433327,00.html)

This statement issued by a group of "Prominent Americans" asks whether the political direction of the "war on terrorism" is moving toward becoming a "war without limits?" The writers question the "good vs. evil script" being played by the media and ask the U.S. public to "resist the machinery of war and repression and rally others to do everything possible to stop it."

Under the Nuclear Shadow - June 2, 2002, by Arundhati Roy, Observer of London (http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0602-02.htm)

Arundhati Roy writes about life in Delhi under an intense threat of nuclear war. She critiques the political talk that reduces first strikes and second strikes to "a family board game" which, Roy suggests, treats nonviolence "with contempt." She asks, "Why do we tolerate the men who use nuclear weapons to blackmail the entire human race?"

10 Reasons Why Women Should Oppose the "War on Terrorism" – June 2002, by the Women of Color Resource Center (WCRC). (http://www.war-times.org/backissues/3art8.html)

The WCRC argues that U.S. feminists have not been vocal enough against the war on terrorism, partly because of a Washington-led propaganda campaign that cast the U.S. military as "the liberator of Afghan womanhood." This article encourages anti-war activists to directly address the gender issue and draw the world's attention to the disastrous impact of war and militarism on women and children.

An Urgent Call: End the Nuclear Danger - June, 2002, by Randall Forsberg, Jonathan Schell, and David Cor (http://www.UrgentCall.org)

This citizens' petition cites "the dangers posed by huge arsenals, threats of use, proliferation, and terrorism." It calls for the United States and Russia "to fulfill their commitments and move together with the other nuclear powers, step by carefully inspected and verified step, to the abolition of nuclear weapons."

Fallacies of U.S. Plans to Invade Iraq – Stephen Zunes, June, 2002, FPIF Policy Report (http://www.fpif.org/papers/iraq2.html)

This article argues seven major points against a US military strike against Iraq. Zunes affirms that even if the US is successful in "overthrowing Saddam Hussein's regime, an Iraq without a strong central government could disintegrate into Shia Arab, Sunni Arab, and Kurdish ministates." It is clear from the past eleven months in Afghanistan that "throwing a government out is easier than putting a new one together."

May 2002

Martin Luther King's "Axis of Evil" - May/June 2002, by Carol Bragg, Fellowship (http://www.forusa.org/fellowship/May-June_02/Carol_Bragg.html)

Bragg reflects on Martin Luther King Jr.´s prophetic last book, Where do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?, which warned that unless the "triple evils" of racism, poverty, and militarism are seriously addressed, then global chaos will result. She contrasts King´s three evils with President Bush's "axis of evil' notion, which targets individual states and perpetuates "entrenched social injustices and structural violence".

America the Fearful – May 21, 2002, by James Carroll, The Boston Globe (http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0521-01.htm)

Summary: Carroll observes "the more powerful the United States becomes, the more frightened we are." Why? He examines how American paranoia has been heightened by several acts of the Bush administration: its unending war on terrorism, its failure to seriously reduce nuclear arms, its repeal of support for the International Criminal Court, and its continual warnings that are "sharp enough to generate fear but too vague to enable any defensive preparation."

Bush's War Against Terrorism: Be Cautious! – May 16, 2002, by Chandra Muzaffar, JUST (http://www.just-international.org/bush-mahathir.htm)

Summary: This article discusses the role powerlessness plays in creating and fueling terrorists. Further, Dr. Muzaffar explores the ways in which an "overly hegemonic global system" reinforces this sense of powerlessness felt by so many.

Suicide Bombing: Is Another Form of Struggle Possible? - May 13, 2002, by Chandra Muzaffar, International Movement for a Just World. (http://www.just-international.org/cm-suicidebombing.htm)

This article explores the question, "Why do Palestinian freedom fighters persist with this method of trying to end Israeli oppression?" Muzaffar offers peaceful alternatives and gives examples in Muslim history of "non-violent resistance to tyranny and oppression."

Peace is Around the Corner – May 9, 2002, by Marion Pargaman, Jerusalem.

Summary: This is a personal account of an Israeli peace activist's conversation with an enraged Palestinian woman, during which "an intense moment of real reconciliation had taken place." This is a moving example of working for peace on an individual level and of the power of dialogue in creating peace.

Israel's Biggest Danger: A Disappearing Border – May 7, 2002, by James Carroll, The Boston Globe

Summary: Carroll discusses how clearly defined borders are absolutely necessary for peace and security. He states, "In a pattern of breathtaking self-destruction, Israeli governments, again and again, have deliberately blurred the eastern border of the state, effectively dissolving it."

Bat Shalom Director Terry Greenblatt speaks to the UN Security Council – May 7, 2002, by Terry Greenblatt. (http://www.coalitionofwomen4peace.org/articles/TerrybeforeSecurityCouncil.htm)

Summary: Speaking to the UN Security Council on behalf of an Israeli feminist peace organization, Ms. Greenblatt emphasizes the vital role women can play, if they are included in creating a settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. She calls upon the United Nations to hold an international peace conference, and to include women as equal partners, including on the Council itself. She powerfully states the many ways in which women's participation is crucial to peacemaking everywhere.

On Stopping Open-ended, Permanent War on Terrorism – May 3, 2002, by Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

Summary: Applauding the April 20, 2002 citizen protest against the war on terrorism, Congressman Kucinich criticizes the U.S. government's current military agenda. He states, "The path to ending terrorism, whether by individuals, organizations or nation states, is a foreign or domestic policy based on social and economic justice."

April 2002

The Spirit that Lives On – April 28, 2002, by Helen Marie Casey, The Metro West Daily News (http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/columnists/colcasey04282002.htm)

This piece stresses the need to find meaning in tragic events, pointing to the example of Daniel Pearl's death. Pearl's family has responded by emphasizing his spirit and work for peace. Casey, affirming the human impulse "to believe in meaning, in transcendence," asks probing questions about crime, consequence, wrongdoing and punishment.

The Quiet After the Siege - April 23, 2002, by James Carroll, The Boston Globe (http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0423-01.htm)

Summary: This piece, written in the midst of the drama and destruction of the current Middle East crisis, demonstrates that no place is exempt from violence. Carroll presents a thoughtful illustration of Jerusalem caught in the middle of a "standoff pitting Israeli soldiers against Palestinian fighters, with Christian custodians of the sacred place caught between."

Nonviolent Voices in Israel and Palestine – April 14, 2002, by Mohammed Abu-Nimer, Newsday. (http://www.nd.edu/~krocinst/polbriefs/pbrief9.html)

This article suggests that the way to peace and out of hopelessness in the Middle East is through an immediate cease-fire and then getting "moderates off the sidelines and back into the dialogue." Abu-Nimer outlines a plan that includes initiatives to acknowledge a "shared sense of humanity," cross-ethnic and interfaith projects, and a popular nonviolent campaign for human rights.

How Can We Understand Their Hatred? - April 7, 2002, by Elie Wiesel, Parade Magazine.

Summary: Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel argues that of all the "isms" defeated in the last century, fanaticism survives because it makes individuals feel less alone and communities that still glorify racial hatred and anti-Semitism use that feeling to promote their own agendas. Wiesel emphasizes that "to stem fanaticism, we must first fight indifference to evil – We fight indifference through education; we diminish it through compassion."

Women's Circles and Peace in the Middle East – April 2, 2002, by Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D. (http://millionthcircle.org/res_circlesandpeace.html)

In the form of a poem, Bolen proposes that woman's inherent tendencies to "tend and befriend" under stress would make a Women's Peace Camp an effective first step in bringing peace to the Middle East. Israeli and Palestinian women meeting in circles, in her poet's-eye view, will show that "What is felt in common and hoped in common / Is stronger than differences." She goes on to suggest an evolving process of transformation.

Letter from United States Citizens to Friends in Europe – Several signatories. April, 2002 (http://www.transnational.org/features/2002/Boyle_USCitizensLetter.html)

This letter, signed by several academics, outlines objections to the U.S. war on terrorism and voices citizen opposition to the U.S. government's misuse of political and military power abroad. The writers are critical of American-asserted "values" and "rights" that are only enjoyed and exercised by the United States, and often to the detriment of other nations and peoples. It emphasizes that "only by joining in solidarity with the victims of U.S. military power can we in the rich countries defend whatever universal values we claim to cherish."

March 2002

Let Us Struggle Against War and Fundamentalism- March 22, 2002, Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) (http://www.zmag.org/content/TerrorWar/rawa_statement.cfm)

RAWA thoroughly critiques the "tyrannical policy" of the new post-Taliban government in Afghanistan. This article lays out specifics for a future Afghan State, including recommended changes in the Constitution that would keep the nation from "being blighted by fundamentalism."

Fear of Them, Fear of Us - March 13, 2002, by Robert Kuttner, The Boston Globe (http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0313-03.htm)

Summary: Kuttner states, "There is no coherent plan for the next phase of the ubiquitous war on terrorism, only scattershot policies that will make the world an even more dangerous place." This perspective argues that the "axis-of-evil" is not the only force threatening democracy, but suggests that as long as the Bush administration enjoys popular support, it can practice "scant restraint on lunatic schemes that increase the risk of wider war."

America as Sparta – March 12, 2002, by James Carroll, The Boston Globe

Summary: Carroll wonders how it happened that "in half a year we have reinvented ourselves as the most belligerent people on Earth." His own answer focuses on four aspects of the American character – time, money, selfhood, and exemption – to explain why the U.S. has shifted to "redefine itself so profoundly around war."

Letter to President George W. Bush - March 8, 2002, by Physicians for Social Responsibility (http://www.psr.org/gwbltr0302.html)

Summary: "[D]isturbed by bellicose, provocative rhetoric and unilateral threats to sovereign nations, made outside the framework of international law and without the support of the international community," the Physicians for Social Responsibility provide a list of U.S. unilateral actions and emphasize the danger of such policies. They call upon President Bush to renounce U.S. military actions that are not in accordance with international law and call for strong leadership with a commitment to peace.

Just War?: A Rebuttal- Spring 2002, by Michael Nagler, The Peace Chronicle

Summary: Responding to a "scholars' statement" that the U.S. war on terrorism is a just war, Nagler analyzes the criteria behind classical just war theory. These criteria – right intention, declaration by a legitimate authority, and proportionality – are not met by the U.S. war on terrorism.

State of Emergency: Who Will Declare War on Terrorism Against Women? – March, 2002, by Catherine A. MacKinnon, The Women's Review of Books

Summary: This commentary explores contradictions in the U.S. government's response to acts of violence by non-state actors against civilian targets. MacKinnon points out that the attacks of September 11 "failed to fit the prior structure and assumptions of the international legal order", which have been used to justify inaction in relation to violence against women.

February 2002

The Power of Nonviolence – February 18, 2002, by David Cortright, The Nation (http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020218&s=cortright)

Summary: Reflecting on incidences of violence at protests in Seattle, Prague, and Quebec, Cortright speaks to anti-globalization activists about the importance and the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance. Pointing to nonviolent action's historical gains in the U.S., he emphasizes that those in the movement must "display a willingness to sacrifice and remain dignified and disciplined in the face of repression, [so that] they are able to win sympathy and political support from bystanders."

Gender, Class, and Terrorism – February 8, 2002, by Michael Kimmel, The Chronicle of Higher Education (http://chronicle.com/free/v48/i22/22b01101.htm)

Summary: Providing a gender analysis of terrorism, Kimmel outlines the similarities between American white supremacists and the terrorists of September 11th. Both groups, he argues, are reacting to a sense of loss – loss of masculinity and of class privilege – that they must fight to regain. He states: "Central to their political ideology is the recovery of manhood from the emasculating politics of globalization."

A Buildup in Search of an Enemy – February 5, 2002, by James Carroll, The Boston Globe

Summary: "The coming military buildup, irrelevant to terrorism, may lead instead to the creation of a monster that can indeed oppose us." Carroll compares Bush's "axis of evil" rhetoric to Truman's challenge to Soviets following World War II. In the latter case, he argues, the opposition responded with a credible threat that the U.S. did not foresee. Carroll believes the same may prove true with the current global crisis: Bush "requires an 'evil' against which America can be the 'good'."

January 2002

Palestinian Women and Nonviolence – January 14, 2002, by Lucy Nusseibeh, Common Ground News Service (http://www.sfcg.org/cgnews/menarticleframe.cfm?articleid=201)

Summary: Accounting a history of Palestinian women's approaches to Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, this article stresses the importance of nonviolence in creating an image of what alternatives are possible. Nusseibeh calls this image a "mirror of morality." Women can be the key to breaking the cycle of violence in the Middle East, she contends, if they "reach to each other across international boundaries." The media need to focus far more than it does, she says, on Palestinian women.

Nonviolence: Direct Action for Peace – January 3, 2002, by Gila Svirsky, Common Ground News Service (http://www.sfcg.org/cgnews/menarticleframe.cfm?articleid=196)

Summary: Israeli peace activist Gila Svirsky describes the tactics and effectiveness of nonviolent direct action on behalf of the Israeli peace movement in the past year. Despite the lack of media attention, Svirsky argues, "The many efforts of nonviolent direct action, taken individually and collectively, have infused a new dynamic into Israeli peace activism. The concept of resistance has been added to the concept of protest."

What We Can Do Now, for Ourselves and for Peace – January 2002, by Ann Fagan Ginger, Peacework (http://www.afsc.org/pwork/0112/011221.htm)

Summary: Ann Fagan Ginger, director of the Meikeljohn Civil Liberties Institute, outlines how the UN Charter, the Nuremberg Principles, and the U.S. Constitution may be utilized to create peaceful settlements to disputes and threats to peace. Further, she urges every individual to contact her or his representatives to encourage the "path to peace" that is embodied in "the solemn legal agreements made at the end of World War Two."

Revealing Our Interconnectedness – January, 2002, by Judith Large, SGI Quarterly (http://www.sgi.org/english/archives/quarterly/0201/feature3.html)

Summary: Ms. Large describes how "the world may increasingly be seen not as a chessboard of state powers but as a series of layers." From this perspective of interconnectedness, she outlines what she believes to be the challenges facing humanity today: becoming true global citizens, by thinking beyond national identities; promoting the United Nations and the formation of the International Criminal Court; addressing double standards in international relations; focusing on the root causes of conflict; emphasizing the maintenance of civil liberties.

Steven R. Shalom Interviews Noam Chomsky – January, 2002

Summary: Dr. Chomsky proposes that two questions be used as a framework for analyzing terrorism, U.S. foreign policy and the war in Afghanistan: First, that we must hold ourselves to the same principles that we apply to our enemies; and second, that the step between opinion and action is large, requiring substantial debate, especially given the tremendous consequences our actions could have.

U.S. Citizens Oppose War on Iraq, Other Countries, and U.S. Government Militarism – Petition initiated by The Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace (http://www.PetitionOnline.com/iraq/petition.htm)

Summary: This petition opposes expansion of U.S. unilateral military action and demands "an open democratic process wherein these and other critical issues are presented to the public for comprehensive discussion and debate."

Interview with Cynthia Enloe – undated, with Spark Magazine Managing Editor Molly Lopez

In this interview, Professor Enloe addresses questions about US women in combat, the dependence/independence of women in war time, and how Afghani and American women will be affected by the war in Afghanistan.

December 2001

Taking the Path to 'Perpetual Peace' – December 29, 2001, by Ronald K. Richardson, The Boston Globe

Summary: Professor Richardson warns that peace cannot be secured by destroying individual perpetrators. He recommends that the U.S. mount a "national campaign of education for world citizenship." He also urges the President to create an "office of Global awareness to complement the work of the Office of Homeland Defense."

How the World Sees the U.S. and September 11 – December 20, 2001, by Brian Knowlton, International Herald Tribune (http://www.iht.com/articles/42521.htm)

Summary: This article analyzes recent opinion polls reflecting a "divide between Americans" idea of their image and role in the world, and the way the world says it views them."

The Way the War Ends – December 18, 2001, by James Carroll, The Boston Globe

Summary: Carroll makes several recommendations regarding U.S. policy following the war in Afghanistan, including the involvement of international tribunals and reliance on the United Nation, as well as the necessity not to escalate or expand the U.S. military campaign. He concludes with a note of irony "if the end doesn't justify the means, nothing does."

The UN: A Conversation with Winston Langley – December 14, 2001, by Kristen Gwinn, BRC

Dr. Langley argues that a United Nations-led response to the terrorist attacks of September 11th would achieve a more long-lasting result than would the U.S. military campaign. He reads the United States' failure to turn to the UN as part of a need for the U.S. to ensure global dominance. Further, he examines specific articles of the UN Charter that could be invoked to best prevent and combat terrorism in the future. He also describes how non-governmental organizations are the vehicle to strengthening the power of the UN.

Recent U.S. Policy in South Asia – December 8, 2001, by Zia Mian, Speech delivered at AFSC-Tufts "After September 11: Paths to Peace, Justice & Security" Conference (http://www.afsc.org/nero/pesp/mian.htm)

Summary: This speech maintains that the current agenda for U.S. global dominance is much like that of the early 1950s when the USSR had not yet become a force capable of countering the United States. Mian discusses how nations learn "that there are advantages to inciting and inviting empire, to taking advantage of an empire to serve their own narrow, domestic, political and economic interests. Nowhere has that been more clear than in South Asia … " He illustrates how India and Pakistan are supporting the U.S. quest for empire and warns of the nuclear dangers of such partnerships.

Our Grief is Not a Cry for War – December 8, 2001, by Amber Amundson and Ryan Amundson, Speech delivered at AFSC-Tufts "After September 11: Paths to Peace, Justice & Security" Conference (http://www.afsc.org/nero/pesp/amundson.htm)

Summary: The wife and brother of Craig Amundson, a casualty of the Pentagon attack on September 11th, responded to this tragedy by joining other victims of 9/11 in raising voices against the war. Amber Amundson's speech includes the letter she read in front of the White House on November 26, 2001, expressing outrage that the grief of the victims" families be used to justify attacks on Afghanistan.

The World After September 11 – December 8, 2001, by Noam Chomsky, Speech delivered at AFSC-Tufts "After September 11: Paths to Peace, Justice & Security" Conference (http://www.afsc.org/nero/pesp/chomsky.htm)

Summary: Chomsky elaborates on the factors he considers to be vital to discussion of post-9/11 U.S. policy: "1) The premise on which policy decisions have been based; 2) Their roots in stable institutions and doctrines in very recent history, to a large extent involving the same decision-makers; 3) The ways these have been translated to specific actions." His in-depth analysis of the framework of U.S. policy and action leads Chomsky to conclude that mass popular movements must muster the will and dedication to press for alternative options because the current ideology, which "ranks hegemony well above survival," only increases "the danger of uncontrollable catastrophe."

Pushing Multilateralism in Pursuit of Peace – December, 2001, by June Zeitlin, Women's Environment & Development Organization News & Views (http://www.wedo.org/news/Dec01/pushing.htm)

Summary: Zeitlin outlines the steps necessary for the U.S. to achieve true and lasting security. She states, "If the U.S. genuinely wants to ensure safety at home it must work in equal partnership with other nations … This requires the U.S. to fulfill its international obligations, by genuinely supporting UN and other multilateral processes."

November 2001

U.S. Tribunal Violates Rule of Law – November 23, 2001, by Harry Sterling, The Toronto Star.

Summary: Former Canadian diplomat, Harry Sterling, expresses outrage at the Bush administration's hypocritical disregard of international legal norms. He states, "For Bush to advocate secret tribunals that would bypass normal legal procedures is not something anyone should accept. It is a direct undermining of the rule of law and should be condemned as such."

These Refugees are Our Responsibility – November 22, 2001, by Natasha Walter, The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=106099)

Summary: British journalist Natasha Walter asserts that because the West opted for a military campaign instead of a nonviolent alternative, they need to be held accountable for the human suffering in Afghanistan. "If the West can claim responsibility for the joy of the citizens liberated from the Taliban in Kabul, then it must also admit responsibility for the misery of the civilians fleeing the bombs into dismal refugee camps in southern Afghanistan."

September 11, 2001 and Islam – November 18, 2001, by Zayn Kassam, Speech given at American Academy of Religion

Summary: Professor Kassam argues that "Islamist-defined Islam, which I believe to be religion pressed into service for real social and political grievances, has created and fuels the perception in the popular imagination that real Islam is the obscurantist Islam promoted by such ideologues who have a clear political agenda." The speech goes on to discuss the differences between most of Muslim society and those "discourses that narrow a profound and noble religious tradition into a tool of aggression."

A Long-Term Strategy for American Security – November 9, 2001, by Jayne Seminare Docherty and Lisa Schirch, Eastern Mennonite University. (http://www.emu.edu/ctp/bse-longterm.html)

Summary: This proposal outlines short-term, intermediate, and long-term strategies for countering and preventing terrorism, and for building American security through nonviolent efforts. From training U.S. civilians in the use of nonviolent resistance to reducing US dependence on oil, Docherty and Schirch proffer effective and innovative ideas for increasing security.

This War is a Fraud – November 8, 2001, by John Pilger, UK Mirror (http://mirror.icnetwork.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid=11392430&method=full)

Summary: Pilger argues that President Bush has a "concealed agenda", which is mainly driven by U.S. desire for more oil and resources, and that Prime Minister Blair's alliance with the US will turn the Royal Marines into "little more than mercenaries for Washington's imperial ambitions."

Now is the Time to Act – November 7, 2001, by Starhawk, ZNet (http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2001-11/07starhawk.cfm)

Summary: "Repression requires compliance." Starhawk emphasizes the need for activists "to move forward, not retreat … to step up our activism, not pull back" in the face of government and media assertions that dissent is unpatriotic and even pro-terrorist.

September 11: A Visitor's Impressions of the American People's Response to the Carnage – November 6, 2001, by Chandra Muzaffar, International Movement for a Just World (http://www.jaring.my/just/report-cm.html)

Summary: Dr. Muzaffar describes how his interaction with the American public during speaking engagements at churches and universities led him to the understanding that "bombing Afghanistan regardless of the consequences for the civilian population had tremendous support among the American people."

To Defeat Terrorism – November 2, 2001, by Rebecca Johnson, Disarmament Diplomacy (http://www.acronym.org.uk/dd/dd60/60ed.htm)

Summary: Ms. Johnson underlines the necessity for Americans to "ask the awkward questions and look at uncomfortable truths." She analyzes the language of war and terrorism and calls for a rethinking of the idea of military dominance. "Combating terrorism will require a radical restructuring of our international relations, with a concerted international effort to eradicate global poverty, injustice and the subjugation of women."

A Regional Organisation for Security and Cooperation/Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development for the 'Arc of Crisis'? – November 1, 2001, by HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Summary: This perspective focuses on the challenges to creating an international "conflict prevention culture" throughout a region he calls the "Arc of Crisis." He defines this region as extending from northwest Africa to Central Asia, including the Congo, the horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian Subcontinent. Prince Hassan emphasizes that the "Arc of Crisis" has had no mechanism for conflict avoidance and calls for the international community to respond to the threat of international terrorism by working to establish economic, cultural, and political security in this region.

October 2001

What Shall I Say to Our Children? – Fall 2001, by Linda Lantieri, ESR Forum (Educators for Social Responsibility).

Lantieri, co-founder and national director of the "Resolving Conflict Creatively Program," reflects on her experience of teaching young students since September 11, 2001. She struggles to explain to students "who know the difference between justice and retaliation" why their government's actions contradict the philosophies she and others work to instill in them.

America, Oil and Afghanistan – by Sitaram Yechury, Published by The Hindu

Summary: Indian journalist, Sitaram Yechury, asserts that the purpose behind the U.S. military action against Afghanistan is to establish a "pliant Government in a unified Afghanistan" so that the United States will control the oil resources of the region.

A Conversation with Nur Yalman, Professor of Anthropology, Harvard University - October 2001, The Boston Research Center

Summary: In this interview, Dr. Yalman discusses a number of issues, including the root causes of terrorism, the ethics of certain religions, and lessons from Japan and Turkey that might be applied to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Dr. Yalman stresses the importance of a dialogue between civilizations, education, and justice as crucial in establishing lasting solutions for peace.

Spiritual Empowerment and World Peace: Humanity Struggles Against The Many Faces of Terrorism - A Buddhist Perspective – October 26, 2001, by Meenakshi Chhabra, Speech given at the SGI New England Cultural Center.

Summary: Researcher and lecturer in the field of conflict transformation, Meenakshi Chhabra, presents how the Buddhist principles of interconnectedness of life, dialogue, and the connection between good and evil can frame how we cope with the struggle between violence and nonviolence in a post-September 11 world. She states, "For the sake of humanity, we must use this struggle to seek within each of our traditions that which assures the preciousness and respect for life and emerge, empowered, undefeated and more resolved than ever to rid this world of violence."

Quo Vadis? Reframing Terror from the Perspective of Conflict Resolution – October 24, 2001, by John Paul Lederach, presented at the University of California, Irvine, Townhall Meeting (http://www.nd.edu/~krocinst/sept11/ledquo.html)

Summary: Lederach contends that framing the current global crisis in an either/or rather than a both/and dialogue oversimplifies a complex situation and limits our available strategies and potential courses of action. He presents three paradoxes for analysis: The Justice Question, The Enemy Question, and The Change Question. Lederach then offers his own recommendations for an integrated agenda to "Prevent Terror and Pursue Justice."

Redefining Power in the 21st Century: Military, Economic, and Spiritual Options, a Discussion Forum at the BRC – October 22, 2001

Summary: This discussion at the Boston Research Center, including such participants as Arun Gandhi, Mohammed Abu-Nimer, and Randall Forsberg, addresses the root causes of, and alternative solutions to, the present crisis. Believing in the necessity of voicing nonviolent perspectives, the speakers focused their responses on these questions: "What is an appropriate and principled response to terrorist attacks? How can peace be achieved in a climate of military retaliation? What can we do as a global community to move the world toward a lasting culture of peace?"

If the CIA Had Butted Out... – October 21, 2001, by Ahmed Bouzid, President of Palestine Media Watch (http://www.pmwatch.org). Published on the Commentary page of the Los Angeles Times

Summary: Ahmed Bouzid, President of Palestine Media Watch, presents a narrative of US policies in the Middle East and their relationship to the oil industry. He asks how many lives could have been saved had a different sort of doctrine been adopted.

A Leading Role for the Security Council – October 21, 2001 by Mikhail S. Gorbachev former Soviet President, New York Times

Summary: Former Soviet President, Mikhail S. Gorbachev asserts his belief that "it is now the responsibility of the world community to transform the coalition against terrorism into a coalition for peaceful world order" and outlines steps the United Nations must take in order to establish "a just international order."

What I Would Say to Thich Nhat Hanh: A Response to His Essay – October 19, 2001, Anonymous Author

Summary: This piece emphasizes the importance of a Buddhist presence in the discussions of the current crisis.

Ways to Respond to 9-11 and Its Aftermath – October 17, 2001, by David R. Loy, Professor in the Faculty of International Studies at Bunkyo University

Summary: This perspective questions whether or not we should shift our focus from searching for causes and pursuing retaliatory efforts toward the general nature of fear itself.

Statement on the September 11 Attacks – October 16, 2001, by Jonathan Dean, Global Action to Prevent War

Summary: Dean succinctly outlines the role the US, the UN and international law must play in order to be effective in bringing terrorists to justice and addressing the root causes of terrorism.

A Change for the Better or Worse? – October 16, 2001, by James Carroll, Columnist for The Boston Globe

Summary: Carroll describes a possible future where the events of September 11 are viewed as a crucial turning point in history – a time marking the shift away from a culture of war toward the elimination of poverty and the establishment of a respectful global community.

Memo to Northern California Unitarian-Universalist Churches – October 15, 2001, Distributed by the World Community Advocates (WCA), an affiliated program, First Unitarian-Universalist Church in San Francisco

Summary: This letter to the UUC Churches of Northern California presents an example of a post-9/11 church-based study effort.

Stop the War Now! – October 15, 2001, by Chandra Muzaffar, International Movement for a Just World (http://www.jaring.my/just/commentary_vol_1,no_10.html)

Summary: Dr. Muzaffar calls for the UN to "take command of the fight against terrorism; establish a Palestinian state; and lift the sanctions against Iraq." He argues that the US should allow the UN to take over in order to "fight terrorism through nonviolent, peaceful ways" and establish "a certain degree of moral legitimacy."

The Long and Short of Terrorism and Security – October 15, 2001, by Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Lt. Col., USAF, ret. (http://rmbowman.com/ssn/longshort2.htm)

Summary: This retired military officer details a two-fold approach for establishing security: "The short-term problem is to protect the American people from the terrorists who already hate us. The long-term problem is to stop making more people hate us…"

Building Peace from the Ashes – October 15, 2001, by David Krieger (http://www.wagingpeace.org/articles/01.10/011015kriegerashes.htm)

Summary: David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, discusses a "new way of thinking that is now needed [to] lead us to a new way of Peace."

Aroha, the Maori word for the binding force of the Universe – October 14, 2001

Summary: "Working, living, thinking, acting from a state of fear is to give power over to those you fear." This piece urges individuals to act from and live in a state of aroha, the opposite of fear, advocating this is as the only way for the human race to evolve beyond its current stage of development.

U.N. Must Act in Afghanistan – October 14, 2001, by Ved P. Nanda, The Denver Post

Summary: Nanda stresses the necessity of a UN-led approach to combat international terrorism and establish the future government of Afghanistan.

You Won't Win With Words Alone – October 14, 2001, by Raghida Dergham, senior diplomatic correspondent in New York for the London-based Arabic daily newspaper, Al Hayat, Published by The Washington Post

Summary: Raghida Dergham, an Arab correspondent, discusses the necessity to "forge a bond" with Arabs and Muslims in order to defeat terrorism.

No Glory in an Unjust War – October 14, 2001, by Barbara Kingsolver, LA Times (http://www.artistsnetwork.org/news/news32.html)

Summary: Kingsolver responds to the US announcement of the bombing campaign in Afghanistan with the assertion: "This is a war of who can hate the most. There is no limit to that escalation. It will only end when we have the guts to say it really doesn't matter who started it, and begin to try and understand, then alter the forces that generate hatred."

The Civilian Toll – October 11, 2001, by A. J. Chien, Institute for Health and Social Justice (http://www.bulatlat.com/archive/035us-chien.html)

Summary: Focusing on civilians in Afghanistan, Chien highlights the falsity and irrelevance of the military claim that the current bombing campaign is not directed at civilians.

Letter to the Editors: Neglecting Moral Approach to US and World Security – October 10, 2001 by David Krieger (http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=011010001359&query=Krieger)

Summary: This letter outlines seven urgent moral imperatives that the US must heed in order "to take a truly moral approach to US and global security." The author emphasizes the need for prevention efforts, multilateral action, reconsideration of US policies, and the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Folly of Aid and Bombs - October 9, 2001 by George Monbiot (http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4273413,00.htm)

Summary: British journalist, Monbiot, asserts that western governments have terminated what may have been an effective humanitarian program. They then replaced it with a futile gesture that is not intended to feed the hungry, but to present a compassionate image at home. He also calls the military campaign "an endeavor with no foreseeable conclusion", stating: "Once you have initiated military action … all further adventures in Afghanistan need to be armed."

Mahatma Gandhi's Unfinished Work – October 2, 2001, by James Carroll, Columnist for The Boston Globe

Summary: Carroll observes Gandhi's birthday by discussing his life and teachings and how, in a post September 11 world, they must be understood. He states that the American response must resist terrorism, but without resorting to an indiscriminate war. "Mahatma Gandhi's faith in the power of truth and in the readiness of human beings to change when faced with truth has never been a more vivid image of hope."

The Significance of Gandhi's Thoughts to the Problems of the 21st Century – October 2, 2001, by Patricia L. Walker, Ph.D., President and Founder of The Center for Art and Spirituality in International Development (CASID)

Summary: Dr. Walker applies Gandhi's teachings to the current global crisis and argues that "we must be the change we wish to see in the world", as Gandhi taught. She argues that before we can make that change and work toward peace, we as individuals must identify our own passive violence as part of the problem, and also "broaden our definition of self to include others".

What I Would Say to Osama bin Laden – October 2001, by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen monk (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/88/story_8872_1.html)

Summary: Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh discusses listening as the first step toward establishing peace. "The only antidote to violence is compassion. And what is compassion made of? It is made of understanding."

Declaring War on Escalation – October 2001, by Andrew Jones and Elizabeth Sawin, The Systems Thinker Volume 12 Number 8, Pegasus Communications (http://www.pegasuscom.com/escalation.html)

Summary: This perspective describes the current global situation as "a world of circles and cycles, where retaliation causes violence, which causes more retaliation, [in which] the idea of blame only distracts us from the real problem – all the players on both sides are deeply stuck in the trap called escalation." The authors offer a three-tiered plan to "break out of the escalation trap."

Twelve Points: Stop the War, Rebuild a Just Society in Afghanistan and Support Women's Human Rights – October 2001, by The Women's Human Rights Net (http://www.whrnet.org/activists/twelvepoints/statement_2.htm)

Summary: This statement outlines specific steps toward peace-building in Afghanistan, focusing particularly on the role of the UN and emphasizing the role of women in building a just society. It discusses specific steps for securing the "full participation of Afghan women and Afghan women's organizations in all stages of peace negotiation and post-war reconstruction, including any transitional government …"

US Food Drops "Useless" for Hungry Hordes – U.K. Sunday Mail

Summary: This article details the urgent need to get food aid into Afghanistan via ground transportation, as the US air drops "do more harm than good" and more than a million people face starvation in the coming winter.

Human Life Is Sacred – October 2001, Peace Laureate Appeal (http://www.ifor.org/11september/peace%20laureate%20appeal%2002.htm)

Summary: Eight Nobel Peace Laureates appeal to the US government to refrain from military retaliation in response to the attacks of September 11, and ask the United Nations to organize a conference addressing the root causes of terrorism.

September 2001

The Earth Charter: Building a Global Culture of Peace – September 29, 2001, by Steven C. Rockefeller, The Earth Charter Community Summits.

Summary: Reflecting on the Earth Charter's relevance in the aftermath of the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks, Dr. Rockefeller declares, "The only long-term answer to the problem of terrorism is to build a global culture of peace." In this speech, he examines the key components of the Earth Charter – interdependence, global ethics, sustainability and an ethic of respect and care – that form a foundation for a culture of peace.

War Against the Planet – September 28, 2001, by Vijay Prashad, Associate Professor and Director, International Studies Program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT (http://www.counterpunch.org/prashad.html)

Summary: This article describes how the current crisis in Afghanistan is the product of more than fifty years of US foreign policy in the Middle East. Professor Prashad outlines the historical interests of the US as well as the role these interests played in the Gulf War and the attacks of September 11. He concludes that "Saddam and bin Laden are products of the US, even as they, like Frankenstein's beast, turn against their master now."

Thoughts in the Presence of Fear – September 27, 2001, by Wendell Berry, Rachel's Environmental and Health News (http://www.rachel.org/bulletin/index.cfm?Issue_ID=2072)

Summary: Environmental writer Wendell Berry delves into the heart of several complex issues currently plaguing society and fueling a culture of war. This piece thoughtfully presents sustainable practices to work toward a global culture of peace.

Retaliation Will Not Bring Lasting Safety and Peace – September 27, 2001 by Marshall Rosenberg (http://www.cnvc.org/responmr.htm)

Summary: "Our leaders need to establish relationships that will give rise to true and permanent cooperation between nations. They need to start now to change the circumstances that give rise to violent behavior." International mediator, Marshall Rosenberg, discusses why the US reaction to the acts of September 11 must be based on a desire for peace and security, not revenge.

The Algebra of Infinite Justice – September 27, 2001, by Arundhati Roy, Activist and Author from India, The God of Small Things (http://www.guardian.co.uk/saturday_review/story/0,3605,559756,00.html)

Summary: Roy challenges the American people to fight a desire for vengeance that will only fuel terrorism and, instead, to struggle to understand how the US plays a role in causing terrorism. "Operation Enduring Freedom is ostensibly being fought to uphold the American Way of Life. It'll probably end up undermining it completely. It will spawn more anger and more terror across the world."

Mainstreaming the Anti-War Movement – September 26, 2001, by Geov Parrish, AlterNet (http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=11598)

Summary: Parrish explains how anti-war activists must now shift their thinking and tactics since the "War on Terrorism" can be "fought against anybody, anywhere and everywhere on the planet." He asserts the need for anti-war activists to argue that nonmilitary options will be more effective in combating terrorism. Such alternatives include improved security and stronger intelligence work, treating the acts of September 11 as a crime, enhancing relationships with international law enforcement, and challenging policies that promote poverty, dictatorships and violence.

The Wolves Within – (http://www.drhoffman.com/thewolfinsideus/)

Summary: This story relates a lesson of the good and evil that exist within each of us, as a grandfather tells his grandson how to battle anger and hatred.

Mainichi Shimbun Interview with Daisaku Ikeda – September 25, 2001 (http://www.sgi.org/english/special/14.htm)

Summary: In this series of interviews with the Japanese newspaper Tokyo Sankei Shimbun, Dr. Ikeda shares his views in the context of the post-September 11 world on the role of religion, the Koizumi administration, the relationship between Soka Gakkai and the New Komeito party, the present state of education, and Japan's image in the international community.

Waging Peace - A New Zealand Proposal – September 25, 2001, by Claude

Summary: This letter to President Bush outlines strategies which the US could implement to "completely deflate the power of fanatics to recruit hate mongers and put America on the highest moral and influential ground for at least a century."

Commentary: Misplaced Anger May Mask Fear and Sadness – September 25, 2001 by Jennifer J. Freyd (http://www.registerguard.com/news/20010924/ed.col.freyd.0924.html)

Summary: Professor Freyd provides a description of the psychology behind sadness, fear and anger and encourages a social reaction she terms "tend-and-befriend", rather than "fight-or-flight", as a healthier response to coping with grief and anger in the wake of September 11.

Renewing Our Faith in Humanity – September 25, 2001, President Daisaku Ikeda, (http://www.sgi-usa.org/publications/wtfax/wtfax010925.jpg)

Summary: Responding to the tragedy of September 11, Dr. Ikeda emphasizes the "immense value of human life", calls for an international tribunal to try those responsible, and asserts that only through dialogue and efforts to understand one another will we truly be able to establish lasting peace. "In the end, the evil over which we must triumph is the impulse toward hatred and destruction that resides in us all."

Wonderful Encounters – September 23, 2001, by President Daisaku Ikeda, Excerpted from Seikyo Shimbun (http://www.sgi.org/english/special/15.htm)

Summary: Dr. Ikeda elaborates his convictions that peace can be achieved through dialogue. He also urges individuals to follow the rule of humanity, embracing reason and nonviolence, instead of the law of the jungle, which depends on violence. "The real struggle of the 21st century will not be between civilizations, nor between religions. It will be the struggle between violence and nonviolence."

A Superpower No More – September 23, 2001, by Dan Maguire, President, The Religious Consultation (http://www.religiousconsultation.org)

Summary: Maguire reflects on the question "why do they hate us?" by discussing the absence of healthy guilt and pity, the power of hatred, and the seeming resolution to not address the fundamental causes of terrorism: poverty, hunger and ignorance.

We Must Remake the World – September 23, 2001, by Barbara Schulman, Speech given at the "United We Stand Against the Cycle of Violence" vigil, Boston, MA (http://www.afsc.org/pwork/0110/011004.htm)

Summary: Schulman urges individuals to counter "dangerous expressions of militarized patriotism" and "blind tribal loyalty" by giving voice to the vision of a world which embraces compassion, awareness, and hope, and which looks to the examples of women "to remake the world in the image of a beloved community of global citizens."

Contribution for "From the Ashes, A Spiritual Response to the Attack on America," Book to be Published in October 2001 by Rodale Press – September 22, by Daisaku Ikeda, President, Soka Gakkai International (http://www.sgi.org/english/special/16.htm)

Summary: Dr. Ikeda emphasizes the need to "expand our efforts to promote dialogue between and among civilizations." He stresses the importance of creating unity, as "international cooperation against terrorism cannot be limited to the short-term. At a deeper level it requires a profound reexamination of the nature of human civilization."

To Embrace the Enemy: Is Reconciliation Possible? – September 21, 2001, Interview with Miroslav Volf, Christianity Today (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/138/53.0.html)

Summary: This interview with Professor of Theology Miroslav Volf presents a Christian perspective on fear, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation in response to the September 11th attacks on the United States. Volf asserts that "as Christians, the will to embrace and forgive our enemy must be unconditional."

The United States, the West, and the Rest of the World – September 21, 2001, by Johan Galtung, Professor of Peace Studies at Pace University and Director of TRANSCEND, and Dietrich Fischer, Professor at Pace University and Co-director, TRANSCEND (http://www.transcend.org/jg_united_states.htm)

Summary: Galtung and Fischer explore the root causes of the current conflict and cite the "need for deep self-reflection, seeking to identify the conflicts, the issues, solve them, reconcile." They call for a massive North-South peace movement to break the cycle of retaliatory violence.

Response from Jim Garrison, President, State of the World Forum - September 21, 2001 (http://www.worldforum.org/response.html)

Summary: Reflecting on the acts of September 11, Garrison stresses the need for a multilateral response addressing terrorism's root causes rather than a violent retaliation. He states, "the only sustainable solution to hate is to stop the underlying causes that produce it, working within the community of nations to achieve goals that benefit the poor as well as the rich, the south as well as the north, the developing nations as well as those more advanced."

The Terror – September 19, 2001, by Philip C. Wilcox Jr., former ambassador for counter-terrorism (http://www.nybooks.com/articles/14636)

Summary: Wilcox argues that "armed force, … while politically popular, is usually an ineffective and often counterproductive weapon against terror." He advises instead that the US should construct a strategy that includes strengthening aviation security, developing a multilateralist foreign policy, improving intelligence agencies, and focusing on the root causes of terrorism.

Terrorism: The Search for Measured Responses – September 19, 2001, by Majid Tehranian, Professor, University of Hawaii and Director of the Toda Institute for Peace and Policy Research, Honolulu, Hawaii (http://www2.hawaii.edu/~majid/op-ed_articles/terrorism.html)

Summary: Professor Tehranian considers the "new global system characterized by growing gaps among and within nations" to be at the heart of the underlying causes of the terrorist acts of September 11. He believes that the United Nations should organize and lead the response to the attacks and, further, that the UN must be strengthened in order to prevent similar tragedies.

Speaking from the Heart about Terrorism in Our Recent History – September 18, 2001, by Steve Chase, The Center Post

Summary: Steve Chase shows how one can remain patriotic while still questioning and criticizing a government's actions. In response to a student struggling with questions in the wake of September 11th, he relates his personal experience of being "horrified and heartbroken" when he became aware of the serious structural flaws in US foreign policy that led to the war in Vietnam and are still at work today.

A New Holy War Against Evil? A Buddhist Response – September 18, 2001, by David Loy, Professor in the Faculty of International Studies at Bunkyo University, Chigasaki, Japan (http://www.bpf.org/loy-war.html)

Summary: Professor Loy examines the historical paradox that "one of the main causes of evil in this world has been human attempts to eradicate evil." Pointing to the language used by Hitler and Stalin, he describes the danger of dualistic thinking in terms of black-and-white, good-and-evil, or us-and-them. Instead, he offers a Buddhist perspective on evil. He also gives a Buddhist perspective on the need to focus on the interdependent nature of life as a framework for establishing nonviolent responses to terrorism.

Solidarity Against All Forms of Terrorism – September 18 2001, Dr. Vandana Shiva (http://www.zmag.org/shivacalam2.htm - Note: this is a page in a frame set. To enter the site's front page click here.)

Summary: Dr. Shiva depicts numerous systems of terrorism under which people suffer daily and the cycles of violence that perpetuate them. "The real conflict is between citizens across the world longing to live in peace and security and forces of violence and terror - denying them peace and security."

Terrorism, Theirs and Ours – September 17, 2001,translated and republished 1998 talk by Eqbal Amad, leading Pakistani intellectual (deceased 1999) (http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=64732)

Summary: In this 1998 speech, Ahmad outlines a history of terrorism, examines its characteristics, and identifies five types of terrorism. He discusses the differences between how terrorism is perceived and defined from the point of view of the terrorists versus how it is seen by the victims of terrorism. He concludes with a set of recommendations to the US on how to effectively combat terrorism.

The Challenge of Terror: A Traveling Essay – September 16, 2001, by John Paul Lederach, Professor, Notre Dame, Conflict Resolution Practitioner

Summary: Professor Lederach outlines the challenges of establishing a peaceful and effective response to the attacks of September 11. He stresses the need to understand the underlying organization and root causes of terrorism. He then closes with a three-pronged approach for a long-term plan of action for combating terrorism: 1) Secure a real peace process in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict; 2) Invest in social/educational developments in the Middle East; and 3)Work with the Arab League to address the root causes of conflict in the Middle East.

Dialogue's Importance Cannot be Overstated – September 16, 2001, President Daisaku Ikeda, Translated into English and Excerpted from Seikyo Shimbun (http://www.sgi-usa.org/publications/wtfax/wtfax010919.jpg)

Summary: Dr. Ikeda comments on terrorism, Islam, good and evil, military-industrial interests in the Middle East, the importance of a free exchange of ideas, and the necessity of pursuing a path of nonviolence. He states, "The Middle East issue is one in which the Palestinian issue, the Gulf War and vested interests of the oil industry and military-industrial complexes have become entangled with other factors in a massive and complicated snarl."

A World Out of Touch with Itself: Where the Violence Comes From – September 16, 2001, by Rabbi Michael Lerner, Editor for TIKKUN Magazine (http://www.tikkun.org/index.cfm/action/current/article/53.html)

Summary: Rabbi Lerner reasons that by focusing on the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks, we avoid examining the underlying causes, which must be addressed in order to avoid future conflicts. He asserts that the "alternatives are stark: either start caring about the fate of everyone on this planet or be prepared for a slippery slope toward violence that will eventually dominate our daily lives."

A Call for Peace – September 15, 2001, a statement from the Boston Research Center for the 21st Century

Summary: The BRC reaffirms its commitment to peace following the September 11 assault.

We Need the Rule of Law, Not the Rule of War – September 15, 2001, by James Carroll, Columnist for The Boston Globe

Summary: In the aftermath of the September 11 tragedy, Carroll urges Americans not to be swept up in war rhetoric. "One of the great advances in civilization occurred when human beings found a way to channel unavoidable violence away from "war" and toward a new, counterbalancing context embodied in the idea of 'law'."

Twin Towers – September 15, 2001, by Uri Avnery, Israeli Journalist (http://www.gush-shalom.org/english/index.html)

Summary: Calling for a global dedication to building "the twin towers of Peace and Justice", Avnery calls the September 11 tragedy an example of how globalization problems eventually affect every nation. Therefore, there must be "a global endeavor to resolve conflicts and establish peace, with the participation of all nations, with the US playing a central role."

Understanding Osama bin Laden – September 13, 2001 by William O. Beeman (http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/2001-02/01-020.html)

Summary: "A despicable act of mayhem such as those committed in New York and Washington is a measure of the revulsion that others feel at US actions. If we perpetuate a cycle of hate and revenge, this conflict will escalate into a war that our great-grandchildren will be fighting."

Terrorism and Nonviolence – September 13, 2001, by Arun Gandhi, Founder and Director, M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence and Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi (http://www.gandhiinstitute.org/terrornonv.html)

Summary: Arun Gandhi reminds us that nonviolent tactics must be used consistently, both in times of peace and crisis. In order to effectively combat terrorism, he argues, we must employ a nonviolent strategy where the US acknowledges the role it has played in creating terrorists, and finds ways to contain these individuals without hurting more innocent people. We must also work to redefine our role in the global arena and "move from seeking to be respected for our military strength to being respected for our moral strength."

Another Voice Against the War – September 13, 2001, by Muhammed Abu-Nimer, Ph.D.Mohammed Abu-Nimer, Ph.D., School of International Service, International Peace and Conflict Resolution, American University, Washington DC

Summary: Dr. Abu-Nimer believes that "engaging the entire world in the fever of war" is a major mistake. Instead, he argues for an approach that employs "time, patience, competent intelligence forces, and a careful diplomatic pressure on several governments in the region." He feels that such an approach would "send a message of law and order to the entire world."

International Crime, Not War – September 12, 2001 by Tom Barry and Martha Honey (http://www.fpif.org/commentary/0109terror-crime_body.html)

Summary: This perspective describes the need for a new US foreign policy that addresses "the causes of political violence in a post-cold war world." As such, it calls for the response to the attacks of September 11 to be one that addresses an act of international terrorism, not an act of war.

A Muslim Calls for Sanity – September 12, 2001, by HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Moderator of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (http://www.princehassan.gov.jo)

Summary: "Although tit-for-tat measures may appear to be an attractive option in the short-term, we in the Middle East know that they only make a mockery of any and all attempts at real peace – between traditions, between nations, between civilizations, between equals."

Manhattan Project II – September 2001, A proposal from LeRoy Moore

Summary: Moore proposes a project that will "tap the unrealized power of nonviolent action to respond to violence and hatred and to create a survivable, sustainable world for ourselves and those who will follow us."

Preventing War and Global Recession: Change Globalization to a Win-Win Game – September 2001, by Hazel Henderson, author, futurist and consultant on sustainable development (http://www.hazelhenderson.com/ article.htm#Preventing%20War%20and%20Global%20Recession:)

Summary: This article urges the US government to listen to "outside-the-box strategies" in formulating its response to the terrorist attacks of September 11. "Competitive strategies remain important for national security and economics. But as the very new challenges of the 21st Century and globalization unfold before us, expanding our policy approaches to embrace game theory, including win-win cooperation and initiating virtuous cycles of behavior, such as the boom in socially responsible investing, can serve the world well. Even economists are getting these concepts and seeing that in an interdependent global economy, business-as-usual competition can turn into a lose-lose game for all countries."

The Sukkah & the World Trade Center – September, 2001, by Rabbi Arthur Waskow, The Shalom Center (http://www.shalomctr.org/html/peace42.html)

Summary: Rabbi Waskow uses the image of the sukkah, a vulnerable hut used for Jewish celebrations of the harvest festival, to define our human global situation: "There are only wispy walls and leaky roofs between us. The planet is in fact one interwoven web of life." In responding to the September 11th attacks on the United States, he emphasizes the need for America to "open its heart and mind to the pain and grief of those in the Arab and Muslim worlds who feel excluded, denied, unheard, disempowered, defeated."

Wage War on Poverty – September 2001, by David Ransom, New Internationalist (http://www.oneworld.org/ni/issue340/wage.htm)

Summary: This article calls the war on poverty the war worth fighting. Ransom presents starkly illuminating figures that compare UN estimates of funds needed to eliminate poverty on a global level with the huge levels of spending rapidly mobilized to finance the current military campaign. He raises penetrating questions about political will.

The Price of Life – September 2001, by Urvashi Butalia, New Internationalist (http://www.oneworld.org/ni/issue340/view.htm)

Summary: This perspective of an Indian writer compares the purported "value" of American lives versus the lives of people in the Two-Thirds World. Butalia also critiques the political objectives of Indian and Pakistani leaders that motivate their support for the US-led war on terrorism.

Back to top

Pre-September 2001

Taking 'The Road Less Traveled' – September 30, 2000, by Zoughbi Zoughbi, Director of Wi'am Palestinian Center for Conflict Resolution. (http://www.nd.edu/~krocinst/alumni/zoughbi.html)

Zoughbi, a recent participant in the BRC's Compassion and Social Healing Seminar, reflects on the challenge of learning the "methodology of peace in a peaceful country," and the difficulty of implementing this knowledge in a country "ravaged by conflict." Making an accurate prediction of events to come, Zoughbi comments, "dialogue is one way to humanize your enemy," while "isolation and apartheid" will eventually cause "the powder keg to explode again."

Cold War: Heroes, Villains & Spies – September 10, 1998 by Benazir Bhutto (http://www.ppp.org.pk/speeches.html)

Summary: This 1998 speech by former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto tells of her early warnings to the US government about Afghanistan's political situation. She cautioned that the West was creating a Frankenstein that would soon turn against its benefactors.

A U.S. President Writes – April 16, 1953, by Dwight D. Eisenhower, The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/leaders/story/0,3604,650374,00.html)

In this excerpt from Eisenhower´s "Chance for Peace" speech, the former president pledges U.S. commitment to peaceful international relations, post World War II, and states, "No people on earth can be held, as a people, to be an enemy, for all humanity shares the common hunger for peace and fellowship and justice."

"Victory of the loud little handful" – Published 1916, by Mark Twain, Excerpted from Chapter 9 of The Mysterious Stranger. (http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0920-01.htm)

In this excerpt from Twain's imaginative satire, The Mysterious Stranger, he aptly describes how, over time and with gathering momentum, the shouts for war by the "loud little handful" can sway public opinion.