Iraq War Pathfinder

MULTIPLE ISSUE SITES

After decades of service, The New York Times is still the United State's preeminent 'paper of record' making, simply making it the best source for up to date information about the war. Although it was tarnished by faulty reporting and improper sourcing in the lead up to the war, it's staff has made a concerted effort to 'get it right'. The results have been first caliber reporting. The website contains reports, analysis and opinion commentary, as well as audio and video based coverage. There is also coverage of Afghanistan, and the general 'war on terror', but this does not detract from the Iraq coverage and often serves to bolster it.

The Washington Post: America at War
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/specials/america_at_war.html

Nearly everything that can be said about the New York Times Iraq War coverage can also be said about the Washington Times. Deep, authoritative, and impeccibly sourced with wide ranging commentary that does not detract from the reporting. If anything, the Post lacks the questions about scandal and bias that the Times defiled itself with in the build up to the invasion, possibly making the Post a more credible source. The Post also has a feather in their cap with Thomas Ricks, the author of Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, which is the most comprehensive book written so far about the invasion and occupation.

This is a good location for official, United States government press releases and transcripts. Obviously, the White House is going to take a positive slant on progress in the war so analysis should be view suspiciously, but it is a great source for 'straight from the horses mouth' things like Bush speeches, proclamations, executive orders and policy positions.

The Economist: Country Briefing for Iraq
http://www.economist.com/topics/iraq

Although The Economist has been pro Iraq war since the beginning and voices much opinion on the war, this website also contains a wealth of basic data about Iraq. Previous and current economic forecasts, basic data fact sheets (population, language, names of political leaders, etc), a brief history and a wealth of other information are all on display here. Lucid and well researched as always, the opinions of The Economist are also valuably well thought out.

Healing Iraq: An Iraqi's Blog
http://www.healingiraq.blogspot.com/

This is the best blog about the war in Iraq. The author has lived in Iraq for much of his life and knows his country. In a medium that is often derided for irrational debate and wild speculation, Healing Iraq is lucid, sensitive and incredibly informative. The author, Zeyad (a dentist by training), offered first hand accounts of the chaos that followed the destruction of the sacred Askariya mosque this year when most journalists were afraid to leave the Green Zone. Zeyad has since moved to New York to take graduate studies, but his blog still offers a level of nuance and authenticity that most blogs that deal with the Iraq War lack.

Center for Strategic and International Studies: Resources on Iraq
http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_progj/task,view/id,831/

CSIS is a large global security think tank based in the United States that has put out many different policy papers on specific issues related to Iraq, although some of it's about resembles op-ed type work It has published articles, books and papers with titles like “Can Iraqi Forces Do the Job?”, “Iraq's Evolving Insurgency and the Risks of Civil War”, and “The Uncertain Cost of the Iraq War”. It's publishings are academic but easily read and it's analysis is non partisan, thought provoking and level headed.

SPECIFIC SITES

CIA World Fact Book: Iraq
https://cia.gov/cia//publications/factbook/geos/iz.html

Comprehensive information about most basic elements of Iraq; bias and legitimacy is questionable.

Financial Times Map of Iraq
http://www.ft.com/cms/9cfdc9ea-6f7f-11d9-850d-00000e2511c8.swf

An excellent, informative and visually pleasing map of Iraq with interactive demographic displays.

Iraq Body Count
http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

Deals only with the amount of people the Iraq War has produced by tabulating reports from the media.

Iraq Study Group
http://www.usip.org/isg/

Recent group heralded (or hyped) as an important brain trust that will get the USA out of Iraq.

Yahoo Directory of Blogs on the Iraq War
http://dir.yahoo.com/government/military/war_in_iraq/weblogs_and_diaries/

Colorful assortment of popular and respected blogs about the war, all by a wide variety of sources that include a teenage girl in Baghdad, USA soldiers and a long list of reporters, free lancers and pundits.

National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
http://www.9-11commission.gov/

Describes in chilling detail what happened on 9/11, a day that would bring the US back to war in Iraq.

Council on Foreign Relations: By Publicatoin Type: Must Reads: Iraq
http://www.cfr.org/publication/publication_list.html?groupby=0&type=must_read&filter=405

A non-partisan group devoted to studying the berth of information and opinion related to the Iraq War.

BBC World News: The Struggle for Iraq
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special_reports/struggle_for_iraq/

Biased against the war from the beginning, the Beeb has still provided some excellent coverage.

CNN: War in Iraq Special Coverage: Transition of Power
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/iraq.transition/

CNN's page, in all its bombast and garishness, still offers some specific, good ground level reporting

Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish
http://time.blogs.com/daily_dish/

A provocative blog related to many things; pertinent Iraq issues posted about daily with opinion.