As a marketing professional, David Elborn obviously works from ‘within the system’ and certainly is no wholesale ‘revolutionary’. He proposes the establishment of an International Association for the elimination of war: “The ‘International Association’ would have a robust professionally constructed charter with specific goals, a business plan, a united strategy and a vision.”

Influencing the United Nations is seen as the primary goal of the Association – *”We need to amend article two, paragraphs three and four of the charter of the U.N. It should simply say that it is against International law for politicians to threaten or declare war against another country. Suitable punishments should be established in law and policed by Interpol”.*

I asked David Elborn: How are these laws to be policed? After all has been said and done, is this not the issue? Would not the ‘policing’ of these laws involve the use of armed force?

Mr Elborn’s response was: *”No, definitely not! Under the section in my proposal or paper entitled ‘Leadership Standards’ a leader of a country will have two options. 1.Disregard international law and become a rogue politician. Or 2. Comply with International law with the likelihood of assistance from the International community to help them achieve their goals e.g. developmental aid, trade agreements or whatever the leader has planned for his/her country and the help he/she needs. Surely the choice of options would be a no-brainer for professional leaders.”*

But when one considers the seriously entrenched, competitive nature of international interaction and the almost full acceptance of the use of violence as a means, this ‘level of co-operation’ between all Nations is unlikely, unless some profound change occurs. It still assumes that ‘all’
will respect the authority of the UN and international law. How do we get everybody to realise that war and violence are completely inhuman and achieve nothing positive?

For me it is the simple recognition that we are all members of one unique Human Race, on one planet and that we are undoubtedly extremely lucky to have achieved this point in evolution. We do not need to shorten our personal life expectancies or, indeed, compromise the potential survival of the human race through our own means. The use of War and Violence for the solving of international problems must be thoroughly denounced at the highest levels.

*“I have always believed in telling it how it is,” continued Mr Elborn, “in the hope that politicians, our so called leaders, take notice and do something about it. I mean we all know war is wrong and not the answer and the fact that politicians continue to make the same mistakes over and over again is pathetic…”*

Mr Elborn’s website contains a number of in-depth reports and proposals centred on negotiation and co-operation, as well as methods for addressing the historical problems associated with the Peace Movement.

He will be connecting with the World Without Wars organisation in this most important endeavour.

*”I have always believed anything is possible through the power of positive thinking. I also have huge faith in ‘people’,”* the New Zealander ended.