Alternative Resources on the U.S.- Iraq Conflict (keep and eye on these ones....)

International Responsibilities Task Force ^

[chance33_98]

Note: This is from International Responsibilities Task Force at pitt.edu and Resources listed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of IRTF, SRRT, or ALA..

My Note: Links worth noting in the coming days, the site appears to be updated regulary. The last section -Demonstrations, Petitions, Letter-Writing Campaigns, and Resolutions - should help with setting up counter actions.

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Alternative News, Analysis, and Commentary

• AlterNet.org "AlterNet.org is a project of the Independent Media Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening and supporting independent and alternative journalism."
• Arab World News "Provides constantly updated information on current affairs and the latest news on the Middle East and Arab nations. Includes archives, photos, articles, and links of interest."
• Arabic News.com "Includes country-wise and category-wise news, articles, entertainment and phone codes."
• Common Dreams News Center "Common Dreams is a national non-profit citizens' organization working to bring progressive Americans together to promote progressive visions for America's future."
• Context Books:War on Iraq "Context Books is a new publishing venture with a mandate: Bring hard-hitting, intelligent non-fiction and major literature from around the world—both old and new—to American readers." Site includes essays as well as links to news and commentary; activism and petitions; and to flyers, t-shirt art, and posters.
• Counterpunch.org "CounterPunch is the bi-weekly muckraking newsletter edited by Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair. . . . Ours is muckraking with a radical attitude . . . ."
• Earth to Bush: No Iraq War! Includes links to top 10 reasons why the US should not invade Iraq, top 10 things you can do to stop the war, and resources for a more peaceful, just, and democratic world.
• Electronic Iraq. ". . . a news portal on the U.S.-Iraq crisis published by veteran antiwar campaigners Voices in the Wilderness and respected Middle East supplementary news publishers, the Electronic Intifada ."
• Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) Resources: Iraq FAIR works "to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints."
• Flashpoints News Radio "Your Daily Investigative Radio Magazine"
• Foreign Policy in Focus: Focus on Iraq "On this page, we have gathered the latest FPIF analysis on Iraq and the Middle East as well as highlighting other important policy analysis and organizing work."
• Global Policy Forum: Iraq Crisis Includes "information on the crisis situation in Iraq as well as more specific articles on sanctions issues." Links to pages on the Iraq crisis, sanctions against Iraq, oil in Iraq, and the threat of US war against Iraq.
• The Global Site "Critical gateway to world politics, society, and culture."
• In These Times "A national, biweekly magazine of news and opinion" providing "groundbreaking coverage of the labor movement, environment, feminism, grassroots politics, minority communities and the media."
• Independent Media Center "Indymedia is a collective of independent and alternative media activists and organizations offering grassroots, non-corporate coverage of important social and political issues."
• Institute for Public Accuracy "As a nationwide consortium of policy researchers, the Institute for Public Accuracy seeks to broaden public discourse by gaining media access for those whose perspectives are commonly drowned out by corporate-backed think tanks and other influential institutions."
• The InterActivist Info Exchange "The Info Exchange provides original content and links to important or interesting stories on the net."
• Intervention Magazine "Beyond military affairs and foreign policy, the magazine will present insightful and clear discussion on the domestic and international political environment, the media, which is increasingly concentrated, global and local environmental issues, as well as the literature of witness."
• Iraq Research "An online depository of documents and information related to the ongoing conflict between the United States, the United Nations and Iraq. The goal of iraqresearch.com is build a one stop resource for information concerning the Iraq crisis." Includes links to both mainstream and alternative resources.
• IraqJournal.org "Coordinated by independent journalists Jeremy Scahill and Jacqueline Soohen on the ground in Baghdad, IraqJournal provides a forum for the distribution of independent information and views from Iraq."
• MichaelMoore.com "From the director of 'Roger and Me' and the author of 'Stupid White Men'"
• Mid-East Realities "News, Views, and Analysis that Governments, Lobbies, and Associated Interest Groups Don't Want You to Know"
• Middle East Network Information Center (Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin) "MENIC's purpose is to provide information to Internet users about the Middle East through links to informational websites and databases on the Internet."
• Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) "MERIP provides news and perspectives about the Middle East not available from mainstream news sources." Includes "The U.S.-Iraq Crisis- Background & Resources" (1998).
• Monthly Review "MR speaks to workers and labor organizers no less than to academics, and against class exploitation, no less than against racial and sexual oppression."
• Mother Jones "Mother Jones is an independent, non-profit magazine that focuses on issues of social justice, the environment, politics,and popular culture."
• The Nation: No War With Iraq The Nation "will. . . , make an earnest effort to bring to the discussion of political and social questions a really critical spirit, and to wage war upon the vices of violence, exaggeration, and misrepresentation by which so much of the political writing of the day is marred.
• News for Change "WorkingForChange is a comprehensive Web site made up of resources for people with progressive values."
• Nonviolence.org "Your source for up-to-minute news and commentary on peace and nonviolence."
• NY Transfer: Middle East Page "All the news that doesn't fit."
• OneWorld.net: Iraq Under Pressure "OneWorld is dedicated to harnessing the democratic potential of the internet to promote human rights and sustainable development."
• Online Journal "Building a new news media of, by and for the people."
• Online Journalism Review: Effects of Sanctions on Iraq USC Annenberg
• openDemocracy " is an independent, high quality, global magazine published on the web with the aim of opening up worlds of ideas and experience and helping to close the distance between people and power. "
• Pacifica Radio ". . . the only radio network in the United States to function unconstrained by corporate underwriting and policy decisions."
• The Progressive "The mission of The Progressive is to be a journalistic voice for peace and social justice at home and abroad."
• TomPaine.com ". . . seeks to enrich the national debate on controversial public issues by featuring the ideas, opinions, and analyses too often overlooked by the mainstream media."
• truthout ". . . critical news and commentary on world events . . . ."
• UTNE Reader: The Antiwar Room Includes links to events/protests, breaking news/commentary, and interactive antiwar resources.
• War Times "War Times is being produced to help broaden and deepen the fight against the Bush program [of "permanent war against terrorism at home and abroad"] by compiling information and analysis, and putting them into the hands of large numbers of readers."
• World Press Review: Middle Eastern News "World Press Review provides readers with a succinct view of the political and economic climate outside of the U.S., as well as how the rest of the world perceives the role the U.S. plays in the global community."
• ZNet: Iraq Watch "After over 10 years of torturing the people of Iraq, the United States is preparing, rhetorically and militarily, for another full-scale war there. ZNet will try to provide coverage and analysis of this crime as it is being planned, to inform and assist the movements against it as they develop."

 

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Organizations Concerned with Iraq and the Middle East

• American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee "The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is a civil rights organization committed to defending the rights or people of Arab descent and promoting their rich cultural heritage."
• Arab American Institute "is a nonprofit organization committed to the civic and political empowerment of Americans of Arab descent."
• Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq This group at Cambridge University "aims to raise awareness of the effects of sanctions on Iraq, and campaigns on humanitarian grounds for the lifting of non-military sanctions."
• Campaign to STOP THE WAR Against Iraq Fact sheets, sample letters, links to other websites.
• Citizens Concerned for the People of Iraq "CCPI is dedicated to ending the economic sanctions imposed on Iraq by members of the United Nations Security Council. According to UNICEF, the sanctions have, to date, contributed to the deaths of half a million children under the age of five."
• Education for Peace in Iraq "Working to improve humanitarian conditions in Iraq through education and advocacy in the U.S."
• Iraq Action Coalition "is an online media and activists' resource center for groups and activists who are working to end the war against the people of Iraq."
• Iraq Peace Team "Since September 2002, seasoned nonviolent activists have been on the ground in Iraq standing in solidarity with the people of Iraq while at the same time working to prevent a US attack."
• National Network to End the War Against Iraq This is "a nation-wide coalition of over 140 peace and justice, student and faith-based organizations united to work for a common cause: ending the illegal, unjust, and inhumane war being waged against the people of Iraq by member states of the United Nations, led by the United States."
• Not in Our Names! "This website is part of an international campaign for the lifting of economic sanctions on Iraq, led by two former UN Humanitarian Coordinators for Iraq: Hans von Sponeck and Dennis J. Halliday."
• Stop the War against Iraq "This page has background articles on all the issues around the war from Islam to US foreign policy. It also has a number of PDF files which YOU can print off and distribute locally to inform others of the reality of war."
• Voices in the Wilderness ". . . a joint US/UK campaign to end the economic sanctions against the people of Iraq."

 

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Special Reports on Iraq

• Collateral Damage: the health and environmental costs of war on Iraq "The evidence-based report . . . summarises from a public health perspective the effects of the previous Gulf War, and outlines the likely impact of another war on the people of Iraq, on the combatants and on the wider world." Medact is the UK affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.
• The Debate: Is oil the key motive for the war against Iraq and Afghanistan? "Is there a hidden agenda behind the "war on terrorism"? Is the War on Terror influenced by oil or financial motives, rather than simply national security issues?"
• The Dishonest Case for War on Iraq, by Alan Simpson, MP - Chair of Labour Against the War and Dr Glen Rangwala - Lecturer in politics at Cambridge University, UK (September 27, 2002) and Notes Further to the counter-dossier (updated periodically).
• First Strike Guidelines: The Case of Iraq by Charles Knight. Project on Defense Alternatives Briefing Memo #25
  (September 16, 2002, revised and updated periodically). Discusses the applicability of guidelines for preemptive attacks in the present context.
• Iraq Sanctions: Humanitarian Implications and Options for the Future (August 6, 2002) Report from Anglican Observer Office at the UN, Arab Commission for Human Rights, Center for Development of International Law, et al.
• Strategic Energy Policy Challenges for the 21st Century, Independent Task Force Sponsored by the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy of Rice University and the Council on Foreign Relations (April 2001). (Select "Publications," then "Studies.") This report, commissioned by Dick Cheney, concludes that "Iraq remains a de- stabilising influence to ... the flow of oil to international markets from the Middle East. Saddam Hussein has also demonstrated a willingness to threaten to use the oil weapon and to use his own export programme to manipulate oil markets. . . . [ Therefore,] The United States should conduct an immediate policy review toward Iraq including military, energy,economic and political/ diplomatic assessments."
• International Development-Second Report International Development Select Committee, House of Commons, UK Parliament (January 27, 2000) ". . . the International Development Committee has concluded that, although sanctions may well represent a low-cost alternative to war in financial terms, they are all too often as damaging — in humanitarian and developmental terms —as armed conflict."
• Iraq Trip Report: Congresssional Staff (August 27 - September 6, 1999 ) "In late August 1999, five congressional staff members traveled to Iraq. It was the first congressional visit since 1991, shortly after the Gulf War."
• Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Life & Death in Iraq (May 1999) "Larry Johnson, the Post-Intelligencer's foreign desk editor, and Post-Intelligencer photographer Dan DeLong spent two weeks in Baghdad, Iraq, during April 1999. They accompanied a 22-member delegation of medical workers and others, sponsored by the Washington Physicians forSocial Responsibility, who attempted to gauge the effect of sanctions on Iraqi citizens, especially children."
• Turkey and War in Iraq: Avoiding Past Patterns of Violation. Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper, March 2003. "Looming war in Iraq and recent discussion of Turkey's potential role in Northern Iraq raise serious human rights concerns."
• Why Another War? A Backgrounder on the Iraq Crisis by Sarah Graham-Brown and Chris Toensing. A MERIP Special Publication. "WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT US Policy - Role of the UN - Sanctions - Inspections Oil - Human Rights - Regional Politics."

 

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Antiwar Organizations

• A.J. Muste Memorial Institute "The A.J. Muste Memorial Institute was organized to keep alive the spirit of the man whose name it bears, functioning in his area of primary concern—the exploration of the link between nonviolence and social change."
• American Friends Service Committee "The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace, and humanitarian service."
• American Friends Service Committee: Iraq Peacebuilding Program- Guide to Iraq Background information, news, activist resources, and what you can do to stop the war, from the American Friends Service Committee, "a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace, and humanitarian service."
• Americans Against Bombing "A Conservative/Libertarian coalition for Peace, opposed to .the bombing & hypocrisy which brings retaliation from enemies that we ourselves create, turning our free Republic into a military empire."
• Ann Arbor Society of Friends' Peace and Social Concerns Committee: No More US killing In Iraq Includes organizations, news sources, geography and cultural information, and "what can I do?"
• Antiwar.com: Iraq Info "Your best source for antiwar news, viewpoints, and activities." This site "is devoted to the cause of noninterventionism, . . . . our own politics are libertarian . . . ."
• Cities for Peace ". . . a rapidly growing effort to get City Councils and other civic bodies to pass resolutions against a war on Iraq." Site includes a guide for getting resolutions passed in your city, and the text of resolutions which have been adopted.
• Fellowship of Reconciliation "the Largest, Oldest Interfaith Peace Organization in the United States "
• Global Exchange: Iraq Campaign Background information, how to get involved, news updates, resources, and links from Global Exchange, "a non-profit research, education, and action center dedicated to promoting people-to-people ties around the world."
• Guardian Unlimited: Guide to Anti-War Websites Special report from the Guardian Unlimited, "the UK's most popular newspaper website."
• A Guide for North American Christians Concerned about Iraq "The following materials have been prepared to help North American Mennonites, Brethren in Christ, and other Christians understand the current crisis with respect to Iraq."
• Interfaith Communities United for Peace and Justice "With impassioned and burning anguish, we - Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace - representing over eighty Southern California religious, civil liberties, and civic organizations reject Presidents Bush's calls for waging war against Iraq."
• International Action Center "Founded by Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney General. Information, activism, and resistance to U.S. militarism, war, and coprporate greed, linking with struggles against racism and oppression within the United States."
• International ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Includes informationa about demonstrations, campaigns, petitions, news about war preparations and the antiwar movement, and useful fact sheets.
• Iraq Crisis Antiwar Homepage This "Project of the Nonviolence Web" includes and overview of the Iraq crisis, analysis, what you can do, frequently updated alert sites, and deeper background.
• Jewish Peace Fellowship "Members of the Jewish Peace Fellowship are a diverse group of people, religious and secular Jews from all our traditions and all branches of Judaism. All believe deeply that Jewish ideals and experience provide inspiration for a nonviolent way of life."
• Librarians for Peace Includes petitions, documents, and articles.
• Lutheran Peace Fellowship "Lutheran Peace Fellowship (LPF) is a community of Lutherans across the U.S. and around the globe, responding to the gospel call to be peacemakers and justice seekers."
• MoveOn Bulletin: Iraq and the Art of Misdirection "If you beat the war drum loudly enough, can you drown out discussion of all other domestic issues? It certainly seems like the Bush administration is trying."
• MoveOn Bulletin: Selling the War on Iraq (Sept. 18, 2002) "The Bush administration is doing its best to sell the US and the world on a new attack on Iraq. The promise is that this time, the US will do what it couldn't or wouldn't the first time around, and go all the way to Baghdad to take out Saddam Hussein himself."
• National Coalition for Peace and Justice "The National Coalition for Peace and Justice was founded in 1999 by ten national peace and justice organizations to oppose US militarism and military intervention, expose the costs of U.S. militarism, and propose a new internationalism."
• Not in Our Name NO War Without Limits; NO Detentions & Round-ups; NO Police State Restrictions."
• Nuclear Age Peace Foundation " Our Mission: To advance initiatives to eliminate the nuclear weapons threat to all life, to foster the global rule of law, and to build an enduring legacy of peace through education and advocacy."
• PAX Christi USA ". . . the national Catholic peace movement."
• Peace and Justice Support Network of Mennonite Church USA "The Peace & Justice Support Network represents the new and strengthened peace witness of Mennonite Church USA."
• United for Peace "United for Peace is a collaboration of national and international peace and social justice organizations and scores of local places of worship, peace centers, and community organizations."
• War Resisters League "Believing war to be a crime against humanity, the War Resisters League, founded in 1923, advocates Gandhian nonviolence as the method for creating a democratic society free of war, racism, sexism, and human exploitation."
• Win Without War "is a coalition of national organizations representing broad constituencies that aim to Keep America Safe by advocating alternatives to preemptive war in Iraq. The coalition offers a mainstream, patriotic voice for engaging opinion makers, activating concerned citizens, and communicating effectively to the media."

 

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Demonstrations, Petitions, Letter-Writing Campaigns, and Resolutions

• Action Alert: Write the UN Security Council to Stop the Rush to War! "Please write members of the UN Security Council today and express your strong opposition to any unprovoked attack against Iraq. "
• City Council Resolutions Opposing War in Iraq This web page of Cities for Peace provides text of resolutions adopted and a "resolution tool kit" for getting a resolution adopted by your city council.
• Iraq Peace Pledge "Publicly register your opposition to war on Iraq. Add your name to a national list of citizens opposed to war that will be delivered to Congressional offices. Join a coordinated national campaign to prevent a war with Iraq."
• Labor Standard: Labor Against War on Iraq Includes union resolutions against war in Iraq.
• March 15 EMERGENCY CONVERGENCE ON THE WHITE HOUSE to STOP THE WAR ON IRAQ with parallel action in San Francisco "The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition and other organizations are calling for an Emergency National Anti-War Convergence to TAKE IT TO THE WHITE HOUSE on Saturday, March 15.There will be a parallel activity in San Francisco."
• MoveOn.org: Let the Inspections Work "As weapons inspections in Iraq kick into high gear, most of us are breathing a sigh of relief. But some in the Bush Administration are still dead set on war, even if the inspections are working. Please join us in asking the Bush Administration and the United Nations to let the inspections work."
• MoveOn.org: No War on Iraq Moveon.com petition to President Bush and Congress: "Without hard evidence that Iraq poses a clear and present danger to the U.S., I urge you to act to prevent a war on Iraq."
• No Iraq Attack: An Open Letter from the Academic Community Opposing a U.S. Invasion of Iraq "This Open Letter was originally written by faculty members at the University of Minnesota. It subsequently spread to other universities, and was placed on the web by faculty at MIT."
• Voice4Change, or: Changing Hearts and Minds "Send e-mail to Congress! . . . . I will never forget your vote on Iraq!"
• Vote No War "The U.S. Congress did not represent me when it voted to authorize George W. Bush to carry out an illegal war against Iraq. Thousands will die needlessly unless the people stop this war drive."
• We Need 'Weapons of Mass Instruction' -- Books Not Bombs --No War Against Iraq! Online petition for librarians, library workers, and archivists: "Instead of preparing for war, let us arm the human spirit with 'Weapons of Mass Instruction' "
• Win Without War Virtual March on Washington, February 26, 2003 On February 26th, you can join a massive march on Washington without leaving your living room.
• Women United For Peace: Petition "As women embracing life and peace, we declare ourselves opposed to any military action against Iraq, particularly pre-emptive action."

[chance33_98]

Just an FYI for those who want to keep track of the fringe for countering them.

[spodefly]

BTTT / Bookmarked

[chance33_98]

Sadly I went to the home page of IRTF (International Responsibilities Task Force of the American Library Association's Social Responsibilities Round Table) they are about as left as one can get. These freaks are worth keeping an eye on as well :) Link to pdf of one of their newsletters (1998 I believe). Makes me wonder about my local Library....

[chance33_98]

Ping

[Grateful American]

You are correct to be wary about some librarians, because some have stopped even the pretense of trying to be objective in providing information. For some their personal agendas have overtaken all they do. Let me alert you that the long list of so-called "alternative resources" coming from the ALA is completely one-sided and biased against America. The Social Responsibilties Round Table and other allied groups in the ALA are notorious worldwide for their bias against the U.S. I do not intend to renew by membership in ALA now that I understand what destructive political agendas are being promoted in its name ("freaks" was your word, chance 33_98, and a good one). Be aware that the compiler of the "resource" list is one of the librarians who authored the most recent in a series of ALA resolutions supporting Arafat's terrorist regime and bashing Israel. The ALA resource list excludes all sources but those which support sheiks, Chiracs, and Martin Sheens.

[chance33_98]

Adding them to my job profile watch list - like college prof., teachers, now librarians, and the list is growing...

[chance33_98]

Ping!

[Lady Jag]

Beeootiful! Thanks chance, this is a treasure trove for me!

[Texas_Jarhead]

Leftist 'Watch List' BUMP