February 6, 2003

Dear Peace Friend:

This letter and Alternatives to War document (see attachment) is from Mike Donahue, in Allenspark, Co. As a professional problem solving and innovative change facilitator, I have become active in searching for the root causes of and peaceful solutions to the current world conflicts.

This has lead to a gathering of input from peace organizations and individuals around the world. Please note the attached "Alternatives to War Document".

We call for peace, yet we do not have "Alternative Options" for confronting our conflicts and problems. We need choices. We need choices between war and ????, as a means for addressing our problems.

This document has also been sent to President Carter, Archbishop Tutu, Nelson Mandela as well as Jody Williams, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan. We have asked them to oversee the creation of a vision, a list of actions, and a document that outlines "Alternatives to War." This would include the steps that are necessary in order to confront our world problems and progress towards eliminating the root causes of these conflicts. It would also outline the detrimental effects of war, and provide a base from which to build long term, non-violent, sustainable solutions to our problems.

The ideal would be for you, the voice of the peace movement , to build on this concept, speak to the American People and to the People of the World and help move this Country, and the World away from short sighted, immediate, reactive responses and towards addressing the economic inequalities and root causes of our world problems.

There is a great void and a great need for "Alternatives to War" in the world right now, and your mind, as well as your voice and influence is needed in providing the world with "Alternatives to War" debate and possibilities.

Further thought and input is being given to this document, but the concept is now complete enough that it needs to be released, debated and built upon in both the political and public arenas. How can this be done? What do you suggest for moving Alternatives to War out into public and political debate?

Please send, add to, change and use this "Alternatives to War Document" in any why that fits.

Sincerely,

Mike Donahue
summits@earthnet.net