9 Steps to Peace for Obama in the New Year

9 Steps to Peace for Obama in the New Year
2 January 2009

by Deepak Chopra, Tikkun, 1 Jan 2009.

The following is a memo to Barack Obama from Deepak Chopra:

Deepak Chopra
PEACE

You have been elected by the first anti-war constituency since 1952, when Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected after promising to end the Korean War. But ending a war isn’t the same as bringing peace. America has been on a war footing since the day after Pearl Harbor, 67 years ago. We spend more on our military than the next 16 countries combined. If you have a vision of change that goes to the heart of this country’s deep problems, ending our dependence on war is far more important than ending our dependency on foreign oil.

The most immediate changes are economic. Unless it can make as much money as war, peace doesn’t stand a chance. Since aerospace and military technologies remain the United States’ most destructive export, fostering wars around the world, what steps can we take to reverse that trend and build a peace-based economy?

1. Scale out arms dealing and make it illegal by the year 2020.

2. Write into every defense contract a requirement for a peacetime project.

3. Subsidize conversion of military companies to peaceful uses with tax incentives and direct funding.

4. Convert military bases to housing for the poor.

5. Phase out all foreign military bases.

6. Require military personnel to devote part of their time to rebuilding infrastructure.

7. Call a moratorium on future weapons technologies.

8. Reduce armaments like destroyers and submarines that have no use against terrorism and were intended to defend against a superpower enemy that no longer exists.

9. Fully fund social services and take the balance out of the defense and homeland security budgets.

These are just the beginning. We don’t lack creativity in coping with change. Without a conversion of our present war economy to a peace economy, the high profits of the military-industrial complex ensures that it will never end.

Do these nine steps seem unrealistic or fanciful? In various ways, other countries have adopted similar measures. The former Soviet army is occupied with farming and other peaceful work, for example. But comparisons are rather pointless, since only the United States is burdened with such a massive reliance on defense spending. Ultimately, empire follows the dollar. As a society, we want peace, and we want to be seen as a nation that promotes peace. For either ideal to come true, you as president must back up your vision of change with economic reality. So far, that hasn’t happened under any of your predecessors. All hopes are pinned on you.

Deepak Chopra is acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest leaders in the field of mind-body medicine. He is the author of over 50 books, including Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment and Ageless Body, Timeless Mind.

Source: IMAGINEPEACE.com

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Comment by s ace ixik on January 3, 2009 at 6:21pm: as a word juggler i permit myself some lunar mirrors on the 9 given by our honorable deepak:

1. Scale out arms dealing and make it illegal by the year 2020.
illegal ~ ill equalizer? note: let us try to be positive in our articulate:D language ...

2. Write into every defense contract a requirement for a peacetime project.
time is peaceful by itself ~ so why invent the label peacetime?

3. Subsidize conversion of military companies to peaceful uses with tax incentives and direct funding.
Teach elite families what their altruistic opportunity is in this pivotal timeslot ...

4. Convert military bases to housing for the poor.
Before converting any military ground ~ clean it with a ceremony & a time-interval decided upon in a gathering

5. Phase out all foreign military bases.
Offer anyone a glimpse to the vibration within "foreign" ... Suggestion? fool-foul-folly-former reigned grounds of being (?)

6. Require military personnel to devote part of their time to rebuilding infrastructure.
Transform mi-litary man into literally man & send a love intend healing into their (lost) generations

7. Call a moratorium on future weapons technologies.
Consider each button on the keyboard as a weapon & intend the -27ths- space button as it iPeace affirmation into the World

8. Reduce armaments like destroyers and submarines that have no use against terrorism and were intended to defend against a superpower enemy that no longer exists.
When Jesus walks on the Water ... he might be aware of the Mirror Image which is Trembled by Waves go Bye

9. Fully fund social services and take the balance out of the defense and homeland security budgets.
Transform the peoples minds into transcedent speciemembers at a Servant Civil Associate

this i , s'ace, channeled from an energetic field by a tahirih group in australia while i was just here in holland & felt an embrace from indian co**ections ... (hmmm ... isn't chopra indian origin too ;-)

Comment by Daton O Fullard on January 3, 2009 at 6:20pm: As I read these words I am reminded of those whose visions for Humanity..Are so heavily invested in profiting from Our many divisions..Yet we who are daily their exploited victims do still buy into perpetuate and sell..
So much of these very same things in the guise of self interest and self preservation..Yet we will invest so very little of Ourselves into the very things that will bring us closer together as a true people without borders..

I have often asked myself why we allow ourselves to be herded like cattle..To opinions we do not agree with Wars we do not support but still allow ourselves to fight..While my own vision for this world is simply one without nations..one without borders..one without ethnicities..one without religions..Replaced with one rooted in Our Shared Humanity..

It is first and foremost Our Shared Unity we must invest in..Our Shared Compassion we must exhibit by becoming its own reflected example..Our Shared Wisdom we do not keep to Ourselves just for profit..Our Shared Knowledge we refuse to mentor others we know are in need..Our Shared Understanding which when set free..Will begin to grow into many new trees bearing all types of pleasing fruits..

We must increase Our Shared Respect for Our Differences..Coupled with Our Increased Capacity to Love by replacing all of the many things we privately love to Hate..By refusing and rejecting the Culture of war and Replacing its very infrastructure with The Culture of Peace..But this is no Job for one Man nor One Woman..
One President nor One Government..Barack Obama is just one fragile man..He did not create all the Worlds Problems and without the goodwill of this worlds Lions and Warriors for Peace..He alone surely cannot solve them..

So what is it that each one of us is willing to invest in changing this world..During Our own Life's time we are allowed to spend here..So many of us say we want change..Yet each day we live we still choose to remain imprisoned in the same..Which means we reject the very change we say we seek..The meek will inherit nothing if they have lost the very voice or desire required to seek or speak..When they stand so superbly dressed only in the elegance of their silence..As the strong continue to abuse the weak..

Happy New Year for a New Life dedicated to make a difference in the Life of Others..To build and construct a New World without Borders..and a poet's words shall strip away Our fear..But Our Creators Power will truly empower those brave enough to hear..

Comment by caterina giustiniani on January 3, 2009 at 6:17pm: I HOPE THAT CHRIST ILLUMINI THE OBAMA THOUGHTS.

Comment by Alicia Mary Smith on January 3, 2009 at 6:13pm: Thank you so much to Deepak Chopra for these wise and practical steps to Peace!
Let us all know the peace that is our essence, that is our inheritance; the 'peace that passeth all understanding'. Let us truly know it within and radiate it out, like a shimmering ripple on water! Remembering and aspiring to be consciously aware that we are the light and the peace of the world. It takes a moment to stop, breath and remember, then from this place we can take actions that are truly creating joyful peace in all that we do and are.
On a visit to Costa Rica I recall a tour guide saying he would show us their army in a few moments! I was confused, knowing there are no armed forces in Costa Rica. Then around the corner came a wonderful sight of laughter, joy and playfulness - the children were coming out of school! Costa Rica has chosen to put their focus and finances to the children of our future!
Marianne Williamson has gone to the governments of the US and UK, suggesting Departments and Ministeries of Peace! Who will be the next Secretary/ Minister of Peace?
Of course we wish for Change in our leadership, but we must know that it starts from within and that the power of each individual combined in the oneness of peace has a profound effect! Lets do it!!
Waves of Loving Peace to all. x

Comment by Cecilia Escobar on January 3, 2009 at 6:12pm: Es importante para cada nación que el Presidente o en este caso futuro Presidente tenga clara la situación del país que esta por liderar, por lo que considero que se deben buscar alternativas viables que conlleven a la paz y a un cambio de dirección de la economía interna; ya que esta situación golpea no solo a estadounidenses sino tambien al resto de países latinos.

Pero en relación al objetivo de PAZ; no debemos olvidar que este no solo depende de un hombre; sino de todos los que conformamos un país, una nación, este planeta.

Comment by Anne Morrison on January 3, 2009 at 5:58pm: It would be truly revolutionary if Dr. Chopra went to work with the new Administration. I wonder if he would be willing. It is very difficult to implement such innovative concepts without the actual innovator taking the lead. If even just one of these nine points is taken into consideration, we can rejoice in the realization that it is a tremendous and historic step in the right direction!

Comment by diogenes66 on January 3, 2009 at 5:28pm: The dream lives on!

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Comment by Raja G on January 3, 2009 at 5:16pm: After the WWII it was Cold War - Koeran War, Vietnam War ans many such wars big and small. All these were the result sale of weapons by US to make money for the country.
Now there is a greater danger from Islamic Nations that have access to Nuclear weapons. But the the US and its allies should know that Oil is the source for their economy.
If the US and the West stop importing Oil from these countries their potential to wage war will deminish.
As long as Oli money keeps filling the coffers of Islamic Nations in ME the danger of future war Terror Attacks will persist
Pakistan provides base for all Islamic Terror Groups . Unfortunately it was the US that helped build the Taliban, and it was the US that gave opportunity fo AlQaeda. So the root cause lies with US.
The incoming President must introspect and make radical Changes.
One other suggestion to mr. Obama.- Stave off further Space programs till the US economy recovers to some extent.