From the Editor

This fall all peaceworkers seem to be discussing two main topics: (a) whether the Bush administration will attack Iran or not (the answer is uncertain and supposedly will be determined by the struggle between Cheney and Rice); and (b) whether we are making any progress in reducing greenhouse gases.

The answer to question " b" is clear: No! It is hard for people to change their lifestyles individually. We all know what is required - say, eat local foods, re-set the thermostat, or stop taking pleasure trips by plane - but we're too human. It is easier to change laws than personal habits.

The best solution, acccording to economists, is a carbon tax. It can be revenue-neutral, gradually substituting taxes on emissions for income taxes. But, as Michael Lerner says in his interview, in a democracy, politicians don't lead; they follow. They wait for the public to tell them what should be done. Therefore, peaceworkers and environmentalists will start generating political support for this carbon tax idea this winter. Listen for conversations on the topic - or bring up the subject yourself.

We present an article about Iran and the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Obvious "double standards" apply when it comes to the acquisition of nuclear weapons.

Yet elsewhere - even in the US Strategic Command - there is growing support for disarmament. See the recommendations from the Pugwash anniversary conference, which calls for Canada to play an active role in achieving a Nuclear Weapons Convention. And read John Holdren's summary of the report by the National Academy of Sciences, which demands an end to the "two-tier" system in which a few states are allowed nuclear weapons that all others are denied. True, George W. Bush is not open to such proposals, but after him....?

See our articles on children's peace camps,on $100 laptop computers for all the world's children, and even a story about a US soldier home from Iraq. And Mel Watkins has written a review of another book about Oppenheimer. This is becoming a cottage industry for him.