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The U.S. have finished the "war" in Iraq and withdrawn their combat troops. However, they are leaving about 50,000 soldiers behind. These soldiers are supposed to train the Iraqi army and police force.

What do you think will happen?

President Barack Obama keeps his word and increases his credibility
The insurgents will restart their attacks
Iraqi political leaders are forced to find a compromise
Iran will increase its influence in Iraq

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Christmas & Holiday Season 2008: A Story of Reconciliation from the Holy Land
written by: Dr. Hubertus Hoffmann, 17-Dec-08

German entrepreneur and geostrategist Dr. Hubertus Hoffmann, President and Founder of the independent World Security Network Foundation, in front of the Holy Old City of Jerusalem: "The new movie The Heart of Jenin has been picked as one best practise examples in media in our Human Codes of Tolerance and Respect project - see www.codesoftolerance.com for details - as it shows humanity and reconciliation in the long-running Israel-Palestine conflict. For us the promotion of tolerance and respect is an important tool in the box of soft factors of peacemaking and essential for networking a safer world. The Holy Land - like many areas of conflict - needs a new effective double strategy of power and reconciliation. Real peacemaking needs deep reconciliation. Or as Eric Hofer said: 'A war is not won if the defeated enemy has not been turned into a friend'."
Let me tell you a true story for Christmas and the Holiday Season 2008 from the Holy Land:

On November 5th, 2005, in the Palestinian refugee camp of Jenin, 12-year-old Ahmed Khatib was severely injured in the head by an Israeli soldier and died shortly afterward in the hospital.

He had had a toy gun in his hand which the soldier has mistaken for a real gun.

His father Ismael, who himself had sat in Israeli prisons as a Palestinian activist, donated the organs of his son for children in Israel – the children of his enemies.

He says, "My human action irritated the Israelis. That is something much bigger than to kill a soldier".

Menuha now lives with the liver of the young Palestinian. She is the daughter of an Orthodox Jewish family who thanked father Ismael for his unique gesture of reconciliation.

The Israeli Druse girl Sameh lives with the heart of the killed boy, and also the Israeli Bedouin boy Mohammed lives, because Ahmed had to die.

The German documentary maker Marcus Vetter and the Israeli Leion Geller filmed this moving story and thereby recorded a convincing template in the media for a best practice for respect and reconciliation. The film “The Heart of Jenin” is a great deal more powerful and illuminative than the usual news clips in the evening news about Palestinians throwing rocks or shooting Israeli soldiers, and proves how "soft" human issues of tolerance and respect can open our hearts.

It shows humanity, greatness of thinking and that tolerance and respect can prevail – in the end.

Please have a look at this unique movie "The Heart of Jenin" here. More information is available here

In order to support mutual respect and reconciliation, the World Security Network Foundation is promoting universal Human Codes of Tolerance and Respect. Please visit our special website: www.codesoftolerance.com.

We picked the movie “The Heart of Jenin” as one of our best practices for media promoting a better world for our children.

The Human Codes of Tolerance and Respect project addresses the five affinity groups who have the most influence on promoting tolerance and respect towards other religions and ethnic minorities: families, educators, religious leaders, journalists and politicians.

We include 10 best practises for each of the groups from all over the world to show how each group can promote a tolerant world now.

For the World Security Network, tolerance and respect are the lifeblood of peaceful coexistence and crucial elements of the “soft powers” of peacemaking.

Promoting The Human Codes of Tolerance and Respect in South Africa, here during a visit of SOWETO in front of the former house of Nelson Mandela: "Treat everybody’s children as if they were your own. It is paramount that children are brought up not to hate. We should no longer view others in the obsolete categories of enemy and friend, but rather accept others in their complete humanity and see them as an enrichment—not as a threat and an attack on our essence."
We need a global vision and a soul. We need globally respected moral values, and just as importantly, we need a steady promotion.

Unfortunately, today we leave the most important questions of peace, reconciliation, tolerance and respect to a loud but tiny minority of radicals, a majority of mediocre politicians, and mainly backward-looking academics.

Furthermore, we do not have an action plan like in business for their promotion.

Does this work? – No.

Will this work in the future? – Not at all!

Who can actually change the world and promote tolerance and respect effectively? Only you – the global elite of this world – can do it! - but we remain for the most part silent and passive, and we only observe the negative actions of radical minorities on TV.

- We own this world intellectually - We have influence - We have the power - We have a large pool of creativity and optimism.

But what do we do with all this?

I am calling for an elite which takes over the promotion of tolerance and respect as a common soul of our global village now, and does not just wait for politics.

I am calling to impeach the radicals by taking over as an elite the responsibility for a better world of moral values, especially for our children.

Please mail me your ideas and best practises to integrate into the Codes of Tolerance to contact@codesoftolerance.com.

The World Security Network team wishes you and your family:

for the Christians - Merry Christmas
for the Muslims (belatedly) - Eid Mubarak
for the Jews - Happy Chanukah
for the Hindus - a joyous Makara Sankaranti

and to all a peaceful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year of 2009!



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NATO's new Strategic Concept
The Human Codes of Tolerance and Respect
 

Look for men and women of excellency, encourge them, foster them, and give them lasting support in every way.Cultivate and inspire elities in our democracies which do not simply enjoy privileges but are willing to assume social responsibilities.
 

The greatest danger confronting our world is moral relativism
 

We should not adopt but rather shape reality- networking a better and safer world with imagination.
 

Let`s start a new global progressive foreign policy to promote democratic developments and to get rid ...
 

Freedom is the foundation for knowledge, development, and progress. Powerful countries are developed because they are free.
 

Only a genuine reconciliation policy between societies can bring about a true and lasting peace and lay the foundations of eternal peace between former enemies.
 

Isolate the negative elements from the peaceful open-minded majority in the Islamic World.
 

We need a new NATO Double-Track decision consisting of two equally important columns:
military containment and an active dialog with the Islamic cultures.
 

For each conflict we need a holistic formula for peace based on diplomacy plus power plus reconciliation.
 

Beijing and the Pope gain from the establishment of diplomatic relations
 

Broader Middle East

Nations and societies in the "Broader Middle East" should overcome secular schism, seek a kind of enlightment and regain momentum to reach the exsellent scientific, moral and economic of the "Glory past".
 
Americas / USA

A new U.S. foreign policy is needed including: brilliant strategies, imagination and creativity, excellency ...
 
China

Beijing could recognize three advantages through new diplomatic relations with the Vatican
 
Europe

Give more power to the European Parliament, including the election of “European Government”.
 
India

Improve your governance and administration, fight corruption, wage more decentralisation and privatisation, improve your ecucation system.
 
Iran

Stop the development of Weapons of Mass Destruction
 
Iraq

Three Strong Federal States Comprised of Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis Are Needed Now in Iraq with a Division of Oil Income - or a Bloody Civil War Is Unavoidable
 
Islamic States

A New NATO Double-Track Decision on Terrorism and Dialogue with Islam Is Needed
 
Israel / Palestine

Israel, Palestine and its Arab neighbors need common values, interests and goals: Peace is possible !
 
NATO

For the European NATO countries it is intolerable to spend 61% what the US spends but only achieve 10% of the US power projection capacit. The issue is not to spend more but to spend in a way that produces real European power projection capabilities.
 
Koreas

Both countries should mitigate the tensions and aim for a re-unification as a free and democratic entity
 
Russia

Russia has to realize the vital importance of further democratic development. It has to revive its own democratic traditions.
 
Terror

Terrorism is a menace for mankind and should find a world wide coordinated response
 
Democracy

Don't ever ask "What's in for me?" Instead, ask "What is good for my country?"
 
Human Rights

Cuban dissidents should follow Estonia’s example of establishing a “Free Parliament” in exile with the support of the EU.
 
Peace and Conflict

We must welcome tolerant patriotism, while containing and combating nationalism and chauvinism.
 
Religion and Politics

The understanding that reconciliation heals memory is crucial for the achievement of true peace between ...
 
Tolerance

China should enhance individual freedoms, religious and cultural tolerance and protection of minorities.
 
UN

UN must adjust the Charter and the structure to the "new world"
 



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