From the Editor

By Metta Spencer | 1991-01-01 12:00:00

JANUARY is a time for taking stock-reviewing the recent past and anticipating the future. Accordingly, this issue has a single theme: to consider the state of the world with regard to peace and war. We are fortunate to have as a guest co-editor one of the world's great scholars, Anatol Rapoport, who teaches Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Toronto and is famous for his important work in decision theory. Professor Rapoport invited a number of knowledgeable writers to contribute by reviewing conditions in some of the perilous spots of the world. Of course, our minds are especially preoccupied with the Middle East, where war clouds continue to gather. By the time this issue reaches you, the situation may be very clear-for better or worse. However, in November, when it was unclear, we submitted a list of questions to four experts on global affairs: William Epstein, W.D. Macnamara, Betty Reardon, and Douglas Roche. You'll find their answers starting on page 10, after some remarks on the Gulf crisis by Leonard V. Johnson and Dietrich Fischer.

We have both an editorial by Anatol Rapoport and his review of the "twelve most unfortunate countries in the world"-the places that are suffering. most from war. Some of those unfortunate countries are covered in greater detail in the reviews of South Africa, China, Burma, East Timor, Sudan, and the Soviet Union.

We have a letter from Germany and news of the founding meeting of Helsinki Citizens Assembly in Prague. We expect this organization to become an immensely important force for international cooperation. If you are interested in supporting the Helsinki Process within Canada, contact Fergus Watt at the World Federalists, 145 Spruce Street, Ottawa.

And finally, we mourn the passing of two peace activists, Kathleen Gough and Robin Kobryn. They will be missed.