Wednesday, June 13, 2007

"Who is to blame" by Pendar

"Who is to blame" by Pendar (word count: 1236)

"Today, we live in the information age that should make it extremely difficult to simply lie to a nation and fool them. Yet, many governments can easily gather the people in support of their unjust wars. Later, people try to justify their action by simply saying that they were manipulated by the government--nothing feels better than blaming others. However, if people were fooled, they should not repeat the same mistake."…

Reply to: PeaceVoiceDirector@gmail.com

Pendar is a graduate student in Conflict Resolution. Pendar is a nom de plume because Pendar travels to Iran and Pendar is not a US citizen. Pendar means Thought in Persian.

"The just war tradition" by Carole McKenna

"The just war tradition" by Carole McKenna (word count: 394)

"Washington is abuzz with impeachment talk. I called Nancy Pelosi last week and told her that over the last four years I've had three children in Iraq for two tours each. One is still there. I want him home. Put down the guns. It's time. The Iraqis are killing off each other, and the gun manufacturers and their investors are making a fortune."…

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Carole McKenna is a Ph. D. Candidate in Justice Studies and Social Inquiry at Arizona State University.

"The more terrorists we kill, the more we create" by George Wolfe

"The more terrorists we kill, the more we create" by George Wolfe (word count: 407)

"An Associated Press article written by Charles J. Hanley ( January 22, 2006 ) suggested that targeting Al-Qaida leaders may actually provoke more terrorism. And most recently, lawmakers in Washington are starting to conclude that US military efforts in Iraq may be doing more to fuel the insurgency than quell it. This dilemma is explained by a concept in Peace Studies known as 'narcissistic injury'."…

Reply to: PeaceVoiceDirector@gmail.com

George Wolfe is the Coordinator of Outreach Programs at the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Ball State University.

"US in a weakened position" by George Wolfe

"US in a weakened position" by George Wolfe (word count: 285)

"For those who think the US or other Western nation should launch a pre-emptive strike against Iran's nuclear capabilities, think again. Attacking Iran will give the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the excuse to launch a barrage of missiles onto Israel and on oil facilities in the Middle-East, calling it self-defense."…

Reply to: peacevoice.thais@gmail.com

George Wolfe is the Coordinator of Outreach Programs at the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Ball State University.

"Nuclear policy" by Marc Pilisuk

"Nuclear policy" by Marc Pilisuk (word count: 694)

"Within the past year, a statement by Linton Brooks, who speaks for the National Nuclear Security Administration on nuclear weapons issues, should worry those who are concerned about the possibilities of a nuclear war. Brooks told the East Tennessee Economic Council in the city of Oak Ridge , (home to a major nuclear weapons complex), 'The United States will, for the foreseeable future, need to retain both nuclear forces and the capabilities to sustain and modernize those forces. The end of the Cold War did not end the importance of nuclear weapons….I do not see any chance of the political conditions for abolition arising in my lifetime, nor do I think abolition could be verified if it were negotiated'."…

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Marc Pilisuk, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of UC-Berkeley and the author of International Conflict and Social Policy and a co-chair of the Psychologists for Social Responsibility Work Group on Global Violence and Security Peace.

"Why does the US paint Iran 's nuclear program as an effort to build a bomb?" by Barry Gan

"Why does the US paint Iran 's nuclear program as an effort to build a bomb?" by Barry Gan (word count: 567)

"A primary rule in negotiation is never to deduce an opponent's intentions from one's own fears, especially when those fears are irrational. Yet the United States government persists in painting Iran 's development of centrifuge technology as a sign that Iran is seeking to build a nuclear weapon."…

Reply to: peacevoice.thais@gmail.com

Barry L. Gan is the Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Nonviolence at St. Bonaventure University.

"A Path to peace" by Joseph J. Fahey

"A Path to peace" by Joseph J. Fahey (word count: 835)

"Peace Studies – an academic field that is less than fifty years old – is providing some useful insights into how to resolve conflicts between nations without resort to war. Peace scholars tell us that peace has in fact been the dominant human experience, and that war — rather than the rule — is an aberration in human affairs. Nor is war very old. War becomes possible with the advent of territoriality (agriculture) about 10,000 years ago and begins to develop with the rise of cities about 5,000 years ago. "…

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Joseph J. Fahey is Professor of Religious Studies and a member of the Peace Studies Faculty at Manhattan College. He is the author of War and the Christian Conscience: Where Do You Stand?

"Iraq – Leaving the war behind" by Mary Hope

"Iraq – Leaving the war behind" by Mary Hope (word count: 1414)

"The 'War in Iraq' as we know it now will not remain the same, no matter which course of action we take. The deep tensions and centuries of pain left in the wake of the many wars fought over this territory will not subside quickly. Terrorists' promotions of 'jihadist' belief systems will not go invisibly into the night. When we leave Iraq, the people of Iraq will still have to deal with the war that wages inside its borders. To turn the tide of this war, we must begin to help the people of Iraq win this war within."…

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Mary Kendall Hope is a Professor of Conflict Resolution at the American University, holds a doctorate degree in conflict resolution and has been an active writer.

"Global Warming – A Solution" by Dean Van Leuven

"Global Warming – A Solution" by Dean Van Leuven (word count: 811)

"There is a way that we can solve the problems of global warming without giving up the benefits of our way of life. In fact this solution would actually greatly increase our standard of living. We could produce more goods to enjoy, have more leisure time and a happier and healthier atmosphere in our communities just by doing one thing."

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Dean Van Leuven is a psychologist who conducts workshops and is the author of Life Without Anger and many other books dealing with behavior and quality of life issues. He writes a weekly newsletter "Insights from the Dean of Peace."

"Virginia Tech shootings: choosing a violent or a nonviolent response" by Richard L. Johnson

"Virginia Tech shootings: choosing a violent or a nonviolent response" by Richard L. Johnson (Word Count: 1279)

" … many articles are being written to suggest solutions to this kind of tragic violence in the future. It seems to me that they all boil down to two approaches: 1. arming greater numbers of citizens on a regular basis so that we can defend ourselves against would-be killers. 2. involving professionals and greater numbers of citizens in nonviolent approaches to reduce violence and to increase effective responses when violence does occur."

Reply to: peacevoice.thais@gmail.com

Richard L. Johnson, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of German and Peace Studies at Indiana University - Purdue University Ft. Wayne, is a nonviolent activist and researcher whose most recent edited book is Gandhi's Experiments with Truth: Essential Writings by and about Mahatma Gandhi .