This list aims to help you locate several dozen of the most insightful, concise, reliable sources of information we've seen on the impending war on Iraq. In each section, the first listing offers a good overview, the final listing suggests additional links. Please feel free to share with others.
The votes in Congress and the UN are not the end of the democratic process in the U.S. If we choose, we the people can still be the final word on whether or not the U.S. begins an immoral, dangerous, and counterproductive war. Our conversations with our neighbors and co-workers, letters to the editor, participation in protests and civil disobedience, comments on media programs and public forums, etc. affect whether our government can go ahead with this war. The resources below can encourage our understanding, compassion, indignation, and confidence to act.
1. War on Iraq . . . Brief Overviews
"Ironic if Bush himself causes jihad," Salman Rushdie, www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/09/09/1031115997448.html
"The Wrong War at the Wrong Time," Tony Judt, New York Times, 10-20-02, www.nytimes.com
"What War Means to the Iraqi People," Romi Mahajan; 10-11-02, https://zcomm.org/
"The Case Against the Iraq War," Matthew Rothschild, 8-28-02, www.progressive.org
"Draining the swamp?" Noam Chomsky, Guardian, www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/sep/09/foreignpolicy.iraq
see also "Talking Points" at: www.forusa.org www.alternet.org www.epic-usa.org www.fcnl.org
2. War on Iraq . . . More In-depth Critiques
"10 Questions Americans Are Asking as the US Prepares for War," David Korten, www.yesmagazine.org
"Seven Reasons to Oppose a U.S. Invasion of Iraq," Steven Zunes, www.fpif.org also www.thenation.com
?Why Another War? A Backgrounder on the Iraq Crisis,? Sarah Graham-Brown & Chris Toensing, www.merip.org
"Come September," speech by Arundhati Roy (India), 9-29-02, https://zcomm.org/ click on znet
"45 Questions & Answers Regarding War with Iraq," Stephen Shalom & Michael Albert, https://zcomm.org/ go to znet
"10 Questions?" provides an extensive bibliography; alternet, zmag, commondreams"each offer 100s of articles
3. War on Iraq . . . Public Opposition
"Making Our Voices Heard," Paul Rogat Loeb, www.soulofacitizen.org
"The Peace Movement Lives," Geov Parrish, AlterNet, 9-27-02, www.alternet.org
"Disarm Iraq Without War" A Statement from US and UK Religious Leaders, 10-11-02 www.sojo.net
"Action can stop the war," Gary Younge, The Guardian, 9-16-02, www.theguardian.com/world/iraq
for action ideas see: www.UnitedforPeace.org www.moveon.org www.nonviolence.org www.wilpf.org http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/ www.peace-action.org www.VeteransforPeace.org www.PeacefulTomorrows.org
4. War on Iraq . . . Opposition from the Religious Communities
5. War on Iraq . . . Weapons Inspections, UN issues
?Sanctions, Inspections, and Containment: Viable Policy Options?,? David Cortright, et al, www.fourthfreedom.org
"Analysis of Bush's Speech to the UN," a MADRE Factsheet, Yiffat Susskind, https://zcomm.org/ click on znet
To Some, Real Threat Is U.S.," Maggie Farley and Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 10-30-02
"Four Questions, Four Answers," Hans C. von Sponeck, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (1998-2000), at the European Colloquium, Brussels, 9-25-02, archive of: www.irak.be/ned/bivv/iraq4questions4answers.htm
"The Bush Proposal to the United Nations," Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies, 9-29-02, www.ips-dc.org
"Agency disavows report on Iraq arms," Joseph Curl, Washington Times,
"The Troubling New Face of America," Jimmy Carter, 9-5-02, http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/search.html
6. War on Iraq . . . Political Aspects
"War with Iraq, the ultimate wedge issue," Matthew Miller, www.seattletimes.org search for Matthew+Miller
"Change the Leadership" William Greider, The Nation,
"Debating the Costs of War," David Corn, Sept. 27, 2002, www.alternet.org
"President Bush Fails to Make His Case," analysis of Oct. 7 speech, Stephen Zunes, www.fpif.org
"Detailed Analysis of October 7 Speech by Bush on Iraq," Institute for Public Accuracy, www.accuracy.org
"Bush planned Iraq regime change before becoming president," Neil Mackay, Sunday Herald, 9-15-02, https://zcomm.org/
"Dismantling Democracy:"the Magic Trick of War," Thom Hartmann, 9-22-02, www.CommonDreams.org
see also testimony by Senators Byrd, Murray, Harkin and Reps. Stark, Lewis, and Kucinich, to name a few
7. War on Iraq . . . Military Aspects
"The New Bush Doctrine," Richard Falk, 6-27-02, The Nation, www.thenation.org
"War Has Begun," Tom Newton-Dunn, Defense Correspondent, Times Mirror (London) 9-17-02
"When Do We Get to the Real War?" Michael O'Hanlon, Brookings, http://www.bu.edu/globalbeat/
"Jumping the Gun on Iraq," synopses on preemptive strike, 9-25-02, http://www.moveon.org/moveonbulletin/
"How Did Iraq Get Its Weapons? We Sold Them, " Neil Mackay & Felicity Arbuthnot, Sunday Herald (Scotland), 9-8-02
see also: www.fpif.org www.clw.org www.fas.org www.comw.org/pda/widerwarwatch/ www.cdi.org
8. War on Iraq . . . Economic Aspects
"The Economic Costs of an Unjust War," Miriam Pemberton, Foreign Policy in Focus, 9-16-02, www.fpif.org
"Tough Questions from One Father to Another," John Passacantando, Greenpeace, www.alternet.org
"The Cost of Invading Iraq," state by state, National Priorities Project, www.nationalpriorities.org
"Iraq: Is It About Oil?" A.J Chien, 10-13-02, https://zcomm.org/ click on znet
"Post 9-11 Economic Windfalls for Arms Manufacturers," Michelle Ciarrocca, www.progress.org/tpr/after-september-11-corporate-welfare-handouts-rise/
"The Bush Victory in Iraq, "Robert Weissman, archive of: http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/corp-focus/2002/000127.html
see also: www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms www.corpwatch.org www.GlobalExchange.org
9. War on Iraq . . . Media Issues, Humor
Spinning Media Gears For a Far Away War," Norman Solomon, 9-26-02, archive of: www.fair.org/media-beat/
"Spying in Iraq: From Fact to Allegation," FAIR action alert, 9-24-02, www.fair.org
"Media Critique Links," www.moveon.org/moveonbulletin/ summaries of nine articles and their web links
It does help to smile about the absurdities of it all " see for example: Molly Ivins, Jim Hightower, Michael Moore, Maureen Dowd, Tom Tomorrow, Ted Rall, Howard Zinn. buttons & bumperstickers: www.northernsun.com
10. War on Iraq . . . Alternatives to War
"Disarm Iraq without War," Jim Wallis, Sojourners, www.sojo.net
"Disarming Iraq: Nonmilitary Strategies?" David Cortright and George Lopez, 9-02, www.armscontrol.org
"With weapons of the will: How to topple Saddam Hussein, nonviolently," Peter Ackerman & Jack DuVall www.sojo.net
"Large Scale Unarmed Peacekeeping," David Grant, www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org
"Building a New Force," Michael N. Nagler, YES magazine, fall 2002, www.yesmagazine.org
"What"s the Alternative to Military Action," Glen Gersmehl, www.LutheranPeace.org
"Armed conflict and non-violent intervention," Gopal Krishna Siwakoti, www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org
"From Empire to Earth Community," David C. Korten, www.yesmagazine.org/issues/beyond-war-what-kind-of-america/from-empire-to-earth-community
see also: www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org www.peacebrigades.org www.alternativestowar.com/page1.html www.forusa.org www.paceebene.org www.afsc.org www.warresisters.org http://aforcemorepowerful.org/
Please share with others what you find useful here. Tell us what you liked, and additional articles and sources you have found helpful. Thanks!
Compiled by Glen Gersmehl, national coordinator, Lutheran Peace Fellowship, with the help of peace researchers, teachers, and activists with our affiliate, the Peace & Justice Resource Center. See the PJRC bibliography Transforming Our World for names of additional books and web sites on underlying economic, political, and social issues and on powerful nonviolent alternatives.
See more resources on: Iraq, Just War, Global Conflict, Christian Peacemaking, Conscientious Objection |
