Fellow Americans: Inform Yourselves

Dear fellow Americans,

As you well know, the prospects for the U.S. launching a highly
dangerous, pre-emptive war in Iraq are becoming all too real.

In this regard, you may recall the series of events we began this
past spring, when there was no anti-war movement, to educate people
regarding the U.S.'s drive for global interventionism, including a
war in Iraq, as well as the U.S. government's trampling on privacy
and the Bill of Rights domestically:

Gore Vidal et al., "Understanding America's Terrorist Crisis: What
Should Be Done?":
http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/020418ipf2.html
http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/VidalipfTransEx.html

James Bamford, "Big Brother Is Watching":
http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/020606ipf2.html
http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/020606ipfTrans.html

Lewis Lapham et al., "The U.S. War on Terrorism: Myths and Realities":
http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/020924ipf2.html
http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/020924ipfTrans.html

Daniel Ellsberg et al., "Secrecy, Freedom and Empire: Lessons for
Today from Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers"?
http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/021023ipf.html
http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/021023ipfTrans.html

Charlotte Twight, "Conning Americans: How Politicians Create
Dependence on Government":
http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/020213ipf2.html
http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/020213ipfTrans.html

In addition, for your review, here are sample recent media articles
from us critiquing a war in Iraq:

"Why the Rush to War?", by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/030123Higgs.html

"Iraq: Foreign Policy Malpractice," by J. V. Marshall:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/021020Marshall.html

"The Lies We Are Told About Iraq," by J. V. Marshall:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/030105Marshall.html

"Saddam Hussein Can't Blackmail Us with a Fissionable Softball," by
Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/021010Higgs.html

"Iraq and the United States: Who's Menacing Whom?", by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/020805Higgs.html

You may also be interested in some additional work by our senior
fellow, the historian and economist Robert Higgs. Dr. Higgs is
author of the far-reaching book from Oxford University Press, CRISIS
AND LEVIATHAN (http://www.independent.org/tii/forums/crisis.html) on
how war crises are the major engine for government power. He is also
the editor of our quarterly journal, THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW
(http://www.independent.org/review.html).

Here for example is a sampling of popular articles by Dr. Higgs on
the "War on Terrorism" and related issues pertaining to war crises
and government power:

"To Make War, Presidents Lie," by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/021001Higgs.html

"The Cold War is Over, but U.S. Preparation for It Continues," by Robert Higgs
http://www.independent.org/tii/content/pubs/review/tir62_higgs2.html

"U.S. National Security: Illusions versus Realities," by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/020630Higgs.html

"Free Enterprise and War, a Dangerous Liaison," by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/030122Higgs.html

"Crisis and Quasi-Corporatist Policy-Making: The U.S. Case in
Historical Perspective," by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/881100Higgs.html

"Collateral Damage: Two Venues, One Logic," by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/020415Higgs.html

"In the Name of Emergency," by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/011017Higgs.html

"How War Amplified Federal Power in the Twentieth Century," by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/990700Higgs.html

Here are sample scholarly articles and studies by Dr. Higgs on these matters:

"War and Leviathan in Twentieth-Century America: Conscription as the
Keystone," by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/960400Higgs.html

"Crisis, Bigger Government, and Ideological Change: Two Hypotheses on
the Ratchet Phenomenon," by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/850000Higgs.html

"The Cold War Economy: Opportunity Costs, Ideology, and the Politics
of Crisis," by Robert Higgs:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/940700Higgs.html

Here finally is our web page on the War on Terrorism that features
many articles and studies:
http://www.independent.org/tii/news/010915Terrorist.html

Please advise me with any questions and if we can be of assistance.

Best regards,

David

David J. Theroux
Founder and President
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way
Oakland, CA 94621-1428
510-632-1366 Phone
510-568-6040 Fax
DTheroux [at] independent.org
http://www.independent.org