Pierce College Library: Iraq Occupation/War Starting Points

Iraq Occupation/War and Bush's "Axis of Evil"

Post-War Iraq
"Axis of Evil" (including Iran and North Korea)
History, News, and Current Events
World Politics and International Relations
War and Peace
Coping with War

Post-War Iraq

Post-Saddam Iraq: This paper, written by Michael Renner of Worldwatch Institute, has well-cited sources to support Renner's claims that "press reports indicate that U.S. officials are considering a prolonged occupation of Iraq after their war to topple Saddam Hussein. It is likely that a U.S.-controlled Iraq will be the linchpin of a new order in the world oil industry." (Maintained by Foreign Policy In Focus.)
Iraq Liberation Act - 1998: This is the text of H.R. 4655, Public Law 105-338 (signed Oct. 31, 1998) in which the U.S. Government promises to Provide up to $97 Million in funding for a transitional government in Iraq. (Maintained by Library of Congress.)
See also History of United States' nation-building efforts below.

Bush's "Axis of Evil"

"Axis of Evil" in general
State of the Union Address: This is the speech in which President Bush drew attention to states (and a region) that he calls the "axis of evil" from 1/29/02. (Maintained by the White House.)
Country Reports - Iraq: For overviews of basic information about Iraq, this is a great place to start. Read about the economy, geography, defense, culture, government, and more. This site includes great maps of the region, as well. (Maintained by Countryreports.org.)
Iran
Iran - General Information
Country Reports - Iran: For overviews of basic information about Iran, this is a great place to start. Read about the economy, geography, defense, culture, government, and more. This site includes great maps of the region, as well. (Maintained by Countryreports.org.)
Iran (Google): This leads you to collections of sites about specific North Korea-related topics like Business and Economy, Education, News and Media, Government, Society and Culture, and Maps and Views. (Maintained by Google.)
Iran - News and History (Present and Past)
History: Links to information about Iranian history are divided by era so are easy to browse. (Maintained by Virtual Library.)
Iran-U.S. Relations
Iran and the 'Axis of Evil': On a site about the Frontline TV series called "Terror and the Tehran," this section leads to a wealth of related information. Don't miss the chronology of U.S.-Iran relations! Also check out their "Readings and Links" section to find other related articles and web sites. (Maintained by PBS Online.)
Democracy Betrayed: This document from Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran is the official response to U.S. State Department Report on the Mojahedin and the Iranian Resistance (written in 1994) from the National Council of Resistance of Iran. It clearly presents a history of Iran and Iran-U.S. relations from a point-of-view shared by many involved in these issues. (Maintained by Iran-e-Azad.org.)
North Korea
North Korea - General Information
Country Reports - North Korea: For overviews of basic information about North Korea, this is a great place to start. Read about the economy, geography, defense, culture, government, and more. This site includes great maps of the region, as well. (Maintained by Countryreports.org.)
North Korea - Virtual Library: This list of links is divided by subject. Categories include topics like history, media, and politics. (Maintained by Virtual Library.)
North Korea (Google): This leads you to collections of sites about specific North Korea-related topics like Business and Economy, News and Media, Society and Culture, and Maps and Views. (Maintained by Google.)
North Korea - News and History (Present and Past)
Korea WebWeekly: With links to current news and information about Korea at the top of this site, its purpose is to be "an independent, non-partisan, non-profit web on all things Korean: Her history, culture, economy, politics and military." (Written by maintained by Young Sik Kim.)
Korean History Project: The meat of this site started as research for a book. Now much of the information is available free, on this web site. (Maintained by Korean History Project.)

History, News, and Current Events

News and Current Events
Al-Jazeera: This 24-hour TV news station is considered the CNN of the Arab world. Based in Qatar, it's able to disseminate information freely and is considered to be the first independent Arabic news & information channel in the world. (Maintained by Al-Jazeera.)
Online NewsHour: Up to the minute news about the situation in Iraq! (Maintained by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions.)
NewsFlash: War in Iraq: "The purpose of this Web site is to link to a variety of resources, including military implementation of the war, recent policies and political implications that led to this situation, role of international law and the United Nations and, most importantly, substantive sources of information from all sides on what the war in Iraq means in terms of our geopolitical world." (Maintained by Microform & Newspaper Collections, University of Washington Libraries.)
History of U.S.-Iraq relations
Iraq Under Occupation: Details about how the U.S. and British occupation, and the last 12 years of war and sanctions have impacted Iraqi citizens. Info about how the U.N. has tried to intervene is especially eye-opening. (Maintained by Al-Jazeera.)
Institute for Policy Studies: Read here about the work that the Institute for Policy Studies has done towards, what they call "crafting a new kind of UN-centered, democratic and people-based internationalism." (Maintained by Institute for Policy Studies.)
Shaking Hands with Saddam Hussein: The U.S. Tilts toward Iraq, 1980-1984: A well-documented (sources cited) government briefing (National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 82) summarizing U.S.-Iraq relations, including details of U.S. intelligence and military support to Iraq in the mid-1980s, and how Donald Rumsfeld's meetings with President Hussein in the early-1980s encouraged U.S. support of President Hussein's administration. (Edited by Joyce Battle, maintained by U.S. National Security Archive.)
United States and the Iran-Iraq War: This is a fairly long article (25 pages) about events leading up to and events immediately following the Gulf War. (Maintained by Stephen R. Shalom, Z Magazine.)
U.S. Department of State: Iraq: Official CRS (Congressional Report Service) documents are distributed from this web site. If you're looking for information about reports given to the U.S. Congress about this issue, start looking here. (Maintained by the U.S. Department of State.)
History of Iraq
Iraq: This is another terrific overview of basic information. Cateogories of topics include history, geography, business, and culture. (Maintained by Arab.net.)
History of United States' nation-building efforts
Past Humanitarian Interventions: In this section of The Responsibility to Protect: Research, Bibliography, Background, a report from the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS), you can learn a lot about the roles the United States has played in past humanitarian intervention efforts. ( NOTE: A copy of all 427 pages of the full document, The Responsibility to Protect is available as a PDF file from Science for Peace.) (Maintained by International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS).)
Military Intervention and the European Union: Although this publication for European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) focuses on the European Union (EU), it does include discussions of military interventions of the United States. (Maintained by EUISS.)

World Politics and International Relations

Human Rights Watch: Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan: A variety of human rights-related issues are discussed on this site. (Maintained by Human Rights Watch.)
United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs: Documents created by and presented to this department are available here. (Maintained by United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs.)
IraqAnalysis: A well-organized list of links to official United Nations Security Council Resolutions (SCRs) involving Iraq. (Maintained by Iraq Analysis Group.)

War and Peace

Opposing Viewpoints Presented
Alternative Resources on the U.S. - Iraq Conflict: This is a thorough collection of resources divided into the following categories: Alternative News, Analysis, and Commentary; Sites with Additional Links to News; Petitions; Demonstrations and Other Antiwar Activities . (Maintained by International Responsibilities Task Force of the American Library Association's Social Responsibilities Round Table.)
Iraq War Debate: Clear categories organize links on this site, including topics like "Threat Assessments," "Containment Strategies," "Military Issues," "Primary Players," and many, many more! (Maintained by University of Michigan Library Documents Center.)
Iraq (on FAIR): This page is on the web site of FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting), a media watch group that provides documented examples of and articles about media bias and censorship. You'll find many opinions on the current state of Iraq and on international relations. (Maintained by FAIR.)
Iraq Body Count Database: The goal of this site is to report on the number of civilian deaths in the war on Iraq. The site is updated at least once a day. The authors clearly explain their methodology and sources. (Maintained by Iraq Body Count Project.)
In Support of Offensive Attacks
Americans for Victory over Terrorism: Articles based on studies, research, and also editorial opinions are presented here, all with a pro-war or pro-military stance. (Maintained by Americans for Victory over Terrorism.)
U.S. CIA report: Unclassified Report to Congress on the Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Advanced Conventional Munitions: Here you can read (or download) the report written by the CIA that outlines its beliefs. Search through past reports to read the U.S. CIA findings, which contradict the findings of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Remember to consider the bias of the authors of this site. (Maintained by the CIA.)
White House stance: If you need information on the official White House stance on President Hussein's administration and rule, this is the place to begin. This includes official press briefings, United States government documents, and official presidential remarks. (Maintained by the White House.)
In Support of Negotiation and Efforts for Peace
United States Institute of Peace: Created by Congress in 1984, this institute's mission is to be an "independent, nonpartisan federal institution ... to promote the prevention, management, and peaceful resolution of international conflicts." (Maintained by United States Institute of Peace.)
Carter Center: This statement by Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was released on Jan 31, 2003 and outlines his opinion on the impacts of a U.S. invasion of Iraq. (Written by President Jimmy Carter, maintained by the Carter Center.)
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Iraq Crisis: Here you'll find country resources, government resources, threat assessments, weapons, nuclear status map, world missile chart, and daily news updates re. worldwide weapons use. (Maintained by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.)
Iraq Action Coalition: This site gathers links from many sources (including national and local newspapers, as well as web sites) about Iraq that support the point-of-view that we should end sanctions against Iraq and should not go to war. (Maintained by Iraq Action Coalition.)
Antiwar.com: This is a terrific place to start looking for general antiwar news and information. (Maintained by Antiwar.com, a ward of Center for Libertarian Studies.)
Wartime Issues in General
Center on Conscience & War: This is a great site for those exploring conscientious objector status. It includes information on establishing concientious objector status, how to face selective service registration, and how to apply for student financial aid if you're a non-registrant. (Maintained by Center on Conscience & War (NISBCO).)
Ready.Gov: From this site, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security makes available information designed to help you prepare unexpected emergencies (natural or man-made). This includes information about making a supply kit and a family communication plan, and information about biological and chemical threats. (Maintained by U.S. Department of Homeland Security.)
Selective Service System: Want to know who must register for Selective Service, when, where and how? Take a look at this site. It also includes information on consequences of failing to register in a timely fashion and what happens in the event that the draft should be reinstated. (Maintained by Selective Service System.)
U.S. Department of Defense: Here's the Department of Defense home page. Take a look at their information and approach to current and recent activities. (Maintained by Department of Defense.)

Coping with War

Pierce County Department of Emergency Management: The site provides links to county, state and federal emergency management agencies. You may need to know what these agencies are prepared to do in the event of a disaster, natural or otherwise. (Maintained by Pierce County Department of Emergency Management.)
Ready.Gov: From this site, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security makes available information designed to help you prepare unexpected emergencies (natural or man-made). This includes information about making a supply kit and a family communication plan, and information about biological and chemical threats. (Maintained by U.S. Department of Homeland Security.)


Questions/Comments about this website to: Lynn Olson, lolson@pierce.ctc.edu. Last Revised 1/20/2007.