Department Of Peace? Why Not?
Posted: Sunday, November 04, 2007
by David Tanguay
I subscribe to a Canadian magazine called “PEACE MAGAZINE" I receive this magazine quarterly (four times a year) I found an interesting article in the October issue. I thought I‘d share an excerpt from the article with search warp readers.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Canadian Prime Minister) has spent more than $20 billion so far on his military spending spree in Iraq even though the opposition is accusing Harper of an American style defense buildup that seems more attuned to offensive warfare than peacekeeping.
Bush has already spent $600 billion on the four-year war in Iraq. That’s $10 billion per month, apart from the annual US budget. Harper’s $22 billion on new equipment is only the beginning of Canada’s spending. Bush and Harper do not have withdrawal strategies, so these costs are ongoing.
Given the budgets of Departments of Defense, both countries could well afford a couple of billion to start up Departments of Peace. It would be a better investment. Not only would Departments of Peace balance our interest in war with an interest in peace, they might even set examples globally.
What would a Canadian or American Department of Peace do? Like the Department of Defense, it would find plenty to do globally - or even locally. But here’s a specific activity. CNN recently reported on a study that demonstrated that $625 billion already spent on the War on Terrorism now in its fifth year would buy thousands of fully equipped schools and hospitals. Why not do so. Similarly, Harper’s $22 billion for equipment would buy a lot of education and health service wherever it is most needed.
Activist in several countries, including Canada and US, are promoting departments of peace.
Or maybe Departments of Peace could be used to plan the withdrawal strategies when Department of Defense are not successful in foreign lands. Or maybe Departments of Peace could do the work of implementing some sort of Marshall Plans after wars are over. Win or lose?
Or maybe Departments of Peace could be used to oversee the greening of war efforts? Wars are bad polluters because they consume enormous amounts of energy and create more greenhouse gases than any civilian activities.
But most of all, Department of Peace could be used to balance our two North American versions of democracy and give us the opportunity to support something between elections.
In theory, democratic countries get the leaders they deserve. Voters supported Bush for a second term, knowing he was a warrior chief. Voters supported Harper suspecting that he also was one. By insisting that our leaders manage departments of war (aka departments of defense"), we would encourage a more balanced approach to running our countries.
Peace, like war, has to be planned and implemented over long periods of time. Eventually, we hope the Departments of Peace will have budgets of $10 billion per month and Departments of War only $2 billion. Why not?
(Anyone interested in subscribing to this magazine: Peace Magazine.)
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)very nice, David. well thought out. a good article, with good information. like the picture.
best regards,
suePlease log in to respond to this comment.Thank you Susan, I cut the picture out from the magazinePlease log in to respond to this comment.
Hey David! Never heard of that magazine but will look it up -- your blue-print is wonderful but I fear the governement wouldn't think it to be "politicly correct" - I think they prefer a more "divide and conquer" approach and screw the average American citizen... you send a petition such as this, I'll add my signature! Good job, Mr. T!Please log in to respond to this comment.Thanks Judy, yes this magazine has a lot of interesting articles in it. it's published every three months.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Great article my friend! And we need a department of peace in each of our hearts, ay? Where do we war with others, or with ourselves? Best,............ePlease log in to respond to this comment.Quite true e, if we want peace here on Earth we first must have in our hearts.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Yes David a very good article and one that someday hopefully may come to pass but in my opinion only when the meek inherit the earth. As for now only the Prince of Peace will bring true Peace. Sorry, mankind is not in the peace business although they cloak everything they do in it, God and country. I agree it starts in our hearts and many hearts are in my opinion are too cold in these times we live. As the "Pres" says, "Money always trumps peace". Best wishes.Please log in to respond to this comment.You may be right Mr. Melaccio, I keep trying to believe man will eventually learn to live on his or her own. Without a corrupt government running their lives, trying to tell them right from wrong. People are week and will follow the crowd even if the crowd is heading for disaster.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Like your new picture.Please log in to respond to this comment.Thank you anonymousPlease log in to respond to this comment.
David, I think you have some great ideas here.Please log in to respond to this comment.Thank you for commenting TerryPlease log in to respond to this comment.
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