George Shultz : No Nuclear Weapons

Dear Reader,

Every so often, an idea that was once on the fringes becomes the mainstream. When I learned that George Shultz, secretary of state under Ronald Reagan, is actively promoting the abolition of nuclear weapons, I felt that we had reached such a moment.

When I interviewed him, I found Secretary Shultz genuinely concerned about the grave dangers of nuclear proliferation. But he was also energized by the possibility that the nations of the world could come together to eliminate this peril from the planet. And he is working with others, including other Cold War veterans, to make a nuclear-free world a reality.

And none too soon. Revelations about A.Q. Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, and his selling of nuclear secrets, concerns about North Korea's acquisition of nuclear weapons, and allegations that Iran is seeking the bomb make clear what the anti-nuclear movement has been saying for decades: We can’t afford not to abolish nuclear weapons.

You can read the interview and read Jonathan Schell's article on how to make a nuclear-free world a reality in the Summer issue of YES!.

Sarah van Gelder
Executive Editor, YES! Magazine

P.S. See this and other articles from our current issue online or get a Free Trial Issue today.

7 Steps to Abolish Nuclear Weapons If the nuclear powers wish to be safe from nuclear weapons, they must surrender their own. Jonathan Shell shows how it could happen.   Raiding the War Chest Miriam Pemberton on how to cut billions in unneeded weapons systems—and redirect the money towards health care, the economy, and climate.   10 Candidates for Congress Show the Way Out "A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq" actually sets out the details of troop withdrawal, a "diplomatic surge," and an international effort for reconstruction in Iraq. Also: Smart diplomacy in How Iran Could Help the United States, citizen democracy in Has Your Town Declared Peace Yet?, and more…

Winona La Duke on Wild Rice, Wind Power, and Self-Reliance
An interview by Sarah van Gelder brings together Winona’s life work on wind power and wild rice, and the stories of her Ojibwa people of northern Minnesota.

:: WINONA'S PORTRAIT IS ONE OF ROBERT SHETTERLY'S AMERICANS WHO TELL THE TRUTH

Write a caption for this month's YES! cartoon. All winning entries will be posted online, and the funniest will be printed in YES! If this form doesn't work for you, please email your caption to YesComments[at]yesmagazine.org. “How come the elephant cookies get all the dough?” The best captions for the 'Elephant' cartoon.

The Fall 2008 issue of YES! Magazine will look beyond the red/blue divide at a Purple America and a common agenda for the whole country.

Help us think about this issue:

Tell us about a time when you were especially successful at starting a meaningful conversation about politics with a friend or relative who holds very different perspectives?

If this form doesn't work for you, please email us at editors[at]yesmagazine.org.

Just the Facts compare our military spending with our foreign aid.