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Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq
Sheldon Rampton & John Stauber £6.99
As coalition forces continue to exchange gunfire with a grateful Iraqi people, maybe it's time to ask why so many
believed that Saddam was an ally of Al Qaeda and that Iraq was minutes away from launching a WMD strike. This book
describes in chilling detail the successful execution of what Anatol Lieven has called 'a propaganda program which for
systematic mendacity has few parallels in peacetime democracies'. For the first time we can trace the history of a mass deception
from the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks to a celebration in Baghdad that wasn't quite what it appeared. This is the story of
the first, devastating battle in the invasion of Iraq - the White House's propaganda assault on it's own people.
Robinson (2003) ISBN 1841198374
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The War We Could Not Stop: The Real Story of the Battle for Iraq
edited by Randeep Ramesh £7.99
It took just three weeks for the second Gulf War to shake the world. Now for the first time we can see the full picture. Guardian journalists
- some in the heat of battle, some at a more reflective distance - have assembled the story of the most controversial war of modern times.
Launched by the mightiest military force on the earth, the devastating attack showered horror, pity & despair on a people whom history has
already burdened with oppression and tyranny. The future will decide if the disorder wrought was justified - this book is the history of destruction
that was the war we could not stop.
Faber & Faber (2003) ISBN 0571221106
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Against War with Iraq: An Anti-War Primer
Michael Ratner et al £4.99
Seven Stories Press have brought out another of their handy & affordable Open Media Pamphlet series. This is an excellent resource that thoroughly examines the issues around the current crisis - it details the Bush administration's alleged justifications for a new war against Iraq, as well as the legal violations, underlying motives, consequences, and alternatives.
"The Administration has presented a large amount of confusing information but has not given any persuasive factual basis justifying a war. Its 'facts' about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and complicity in terrorism are exaggerated, misleading or false. ... The United States, as the unchallenged superpower, is redrawing the map of the world in a fashion that will continue its hegemony for many years."
(From the introduction)
Seven Stories Press (2003) ISBN 1583225919
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War Plan Iraq: Ten Reasons Against War on Iraq
Milan Rai £10.00
Rigorously dissects official propaganda to argue powerfully against an illegal war with Iraq. Based on the popular 'ARROW anti-war briefings', the book argues that there is no evidence that Iraq has chemical weapons, or that it is involved in terrorism. In fact it provides evidence that the US refused a Taliban offer to extradite Osama bin Laden and that the work of the weapons' inspectors was deliberately undermined by the US government.
Brilliantly persuasive and never dull, this book is essential reading for anyone who cares about peace & democracy.
'This is the clearest and most persuasive explanation of the reasons not to go to war with Iraq that anyone could wish for'
Gearoge Monbiot
Verso (2002) ISBN 1859845010
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War On Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn't Want You to Know
Scott Ritter & William Rivers Pitt £4.99
The definitive debunking of the arguments used by Bush & his advisors for a war on Iraq - by a UN former weapons inspector who knows from the inside what the risks really are - both of notgoing to war and going to war.
Profile (2002) ISBN 1861976364
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Saddam Hussein: An American Obsession
Andrew Cockburn & Patrick Cockburn £9.00
At the outset of the 1991 Gulf War, US leaders resolved that 'Iraqis will pay the price' so long as Saddam Hussein remains in power. This book makes chillingly clear just how terrible that price has been. Eleven years ago Saddam was caught by surprise by the allied attack; his preparations since September 11 show that lessons have been learnt. In a substantial new prologue the authors analyse Sadam's preparations and the terrifying consequences of a military invasion of Iraq.
'The Cockburns' book is a chilling tale of barbarity and betrayal. It documents the lethal mix of US cynicism and incompetence that established Saddam Hussein as the bully of the Gulf, encouraged him to invade Iran and Kuwait, and then allowed him to stay in power'
Irish Times
Verso (2002) ISBN 1859844227
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Targeting Iraq: Sanctions & Bombing in U.S. Policy
Geoff Simons £14.99
Geoff Simons describes the U.S. conflict with Iraq in the broad context of regional politics and American objectives. He profiles the long American war on Iraq with a unique focus on the sanctions regime, the bombing campaign, U.S. manipulation of the U.N., the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the pro-Iraq consensus, and how Washington planned to overthrow the Saddam regime.
Saqi Books (2002) ISBN 0863565271
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Iraq Since 1958: From Revolution to Dictatorship
Marion Farouk-Sluglett & Peter Sluglett £14.99
This highly-praised work is the first to explore the emergence of modern Iraq from its foundation in 1920 into the 21st century. Its emphasis is on the period since the overthrow of the monarchy in 1958, with particular concentration on Saddam's rise to power and his consolidation as leader. The authors also explore the role & decline of the Iraqi Communist Party, Iraq's shifting policies towards the Kurds and the Shi'is, the nationalization of oil and its relations with its neighbours.
I.B. Tauris (2001) ISBN 1860646220
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War & Peace in the Gulf: Testimonies of the Gulf Peace Team
edited by Bela Bhatia et al £10.00
The first-hand story of a unique experience of non-violent interposition in a war zone. In December 1990, shortly before the Gulf war began, the Gulf Peace team set up a peace camp on the border between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. In this collection of first-hand testimonies, members of the team share their memories and assessments of this experience. They also speak about the devastating impact of war and sanctions on the people of Iraq.
Spokesman Books (2001) ISBN 0851246400
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Iraq Under Siege: The Deadly Impact of Sanctions and War
edited by Anthony Arnove £11.99
A decade of bombing and sanctions imposed on Iraq have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, many of them children under five. Easily preventable diseases have taken a devastating toll on the Iraqi people, while Saddam Hussein and his powerful friends remain unaffected.
In this moving collection, leading voices against the sanctions document the human, environmental and social toll of the United States-led war against Iraq, ending with concrete ideas on how people can help end the sanctions. Invaluable for anyone wanting to understand the roots of US policy in Iraq and the Middle East.
Pluto Press (2000) ISBN 074531659x
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The Scourging of Iraq: Sanctions, Law & Natural Justice
Geoff Simons £21.99
This powerful book demonstrates the devastating effects of US-UN sanctions on the population of Iraq in painful detail, and forcefully presents the principles of law and justice which condemn them as criminal. A scholarly and passionate account.
Palgrave (1998) ISBN 0333726812
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Second Front: Censorship & Propaganda in the Gulf War
John R. MacArthur £13.95
A brilliant piece of investigative reporting - MacArthur writes in fury at the American press's failure to respond effectively during the 1991 Gulf War to the Pentagon's well-rehearsed and openly revealed designs. With the help of the Freedom of Information Act he presents a treasure trove of evidence of official deception.
University of California Press (1993) ISBN 0520083989
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Honour & Shame: Women in Modern Iraq
Sana Al-Khayyat £12.95
A unique and often shocking testimony, this book opens up for the first time the world of Iraqi women. Ranging from executives to illiterate housewives, the women speak with extraordinary frankness of sex and marriage, physical & mental violence, the fear of scandal, and their indoctrination into the ideology of honour and shame. From an in-depth study conducted over several years Sana Al-Khayyat, herself Iraqi, builds a picture of Iraqi women's lives from birth to old age. There are also many thought-provoking cross-cultural comparisons between Third World women and women in Western societies.
Saqi Books (1990) ISBN 0863560504
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