The News-Star (Monroe, LA) March 20, 2003
Brushing up on Islam offers insight into sentiments
By Jean Gordon
Now that President Bush's 48-hour deadline for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to evacuate his country has passed, many Americans may be wondering how the conflict with Iraq began.
For people looking to get a quick education about Iraq, Islam and American foreign policy in the Middle East, there is a wealth of books, Web sites, documentaries and public television programs.
Grambling State University humanities professor David Hodges recommends watching the Frontline special, "Long Road to War," which will air at 8 p.m. tonight on Louisiana Public Broadcasting. The two-hour program examines the history of the U.S. conflict with Hussein, the origins of the Gulf War, how Hussein has remained in power and the push to disarm Iraq.
Hodges said if Americans want to get a balanced view on the Iraqi conflict, they should stay tuned to public television.
He also suggested reading about Islam.
"It is helpful to understand groups like al-Qaida, because they are explicitly - though radically - Muslim," Hodges said.
Though Hodges said groups like al-Qaida and Hamas - the main Islamist movement in the Palestinian territories - don't represent mainstream Islam, it is important to understand the basic tenets of the religion.
David Davis, a professor who teaches Middle East history at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., said Arab nationalism is one of the key issues to understanding the political climate in Iraq.
For example, Davis said, even though a lot of Iraqis believe Hussein is a poor leader, they don't like the idea of a foreign force removing him from power. Rather, he said, they would prefer to get international help to oust Hussein themselves.
To put the current conflict in context, Davis suggested reading magazines such as Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy.
Hodges said Americans should read books that present an outsider's view of the United States.
"The fact of the matter is," Hodges said, "the rest of the world doesn't see us as we see ourselves."
TO LEARN MORE
On the Net
www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/longroad
Chronology of Saddam Hussein beginning in 1937, links to interviews with Kurds and readings on the future of the Middle East.
www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/iraq
U.S. policies on Iraq, links to President George W. Bush's public remarks on Iraq, Iraqi reconstruction plans and bulletins including "What Does Disarmament Look Like?"
www.globalsecurity.org
Technical military plans and links to sites that support and oppose war with Iraq.
www.cair-net.org
Basic information about Islam and U.S. Muslims' stance on Iraq.
www.foreignaffairs.org and www.foreignpolicy.com
International policy journals.
Books
* "Against War with Iraq: An Anti-War Primer," by Michael Ratner, Seven Stories Press, 2003. Summary of arguments against the war.
* "The Threatening Storm: The Case for Invading Iraq," by Kenneth Pollack, Random House, 2002. A rational for war. Available at Books-a-Million in Monroe
* "Iraq: In the Eye of the Storm," by Dilip Hiro, Thunder's Mouth Press/Nation Books, 2002. Looks at daily life in Iraq and the effects of economic sanctions.
* "Islam: A Short History," by Karen Armstrong, Modern Library, 2002. A crash course on Islam. Available at Windows, A Bookshop and Books-a-Million in Monroe.
* "Shifting Lines in the Sand: Kuwait's Elusive Frontier with Iraq," by David H. Finnie, Harvard University Press, 1992. Available at the Ouachita Parish Public Library in Monroe.
Documentaries
* "Long Road to War," 8 p.m. today on Louisiana Public Broadcasting. Presents a history of the U.S. conflict with Saddam Hussein.
* "The Arming of Iraq," Chicago Films, 1990. Examines how Saddam Hussein built his arsenal of tanks, planes, missiles and chemical weapons. Available at the Ouachita Parish Public Library in Monroe.
Copyright © 2003, The News-Star (Monroe, LA)
