From the Editor

The news about peace seems discouraging this time. The ABM Treaty is defunct. The agreement between Russia and the United States to reduce warheads attained far less than the ballyhoo claimed. The Non-Proliferation Treaty preparatory committee meeting had an ominous outcome. The Bush Administration is sending the CIA to get rid of Saddam Hussein (a poor way of promoting democracy or peace in the Middle East). And of course there are also the intractable Israeli/Palestinian and Indian/Pakistani conflicts.

But do not be dismayed. Experienced peace activists such as Randall Forsberg, Douglas Roche, and Richard Falk are coming forward to encourage all of us to renew our efforts. You will find reports of their proposals here.

And I can report with pleasure that our gift of $500 was finally delivered to Colonel Petrov in Russia. We probably are alive today because of Petrov, the Soviet officer who was responsible for launching nuclear warheads against apparently incoming US missiles, but who refused to do so. (See our April 2001 issue.) Several Peace readers sent cheques to us, which were delivered to Col. Petrov, now a pensioner some distance from Moscow. (It was hard to locate him.) He is most grateful to us - as we are to him. See his photo here.