U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy Web Links: Library and Links: Jeannette Rankin Library Program: U.S. Institute of Peace

Topical Resources

U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy Web Links

Below are links by topical categories to resources primarily in English providing information on the changing U.S. national security and foreign policy environment. For related information on terrorism as a threat to U.S. national security, see Terrorism/Counter-Terrorism Web Links and Institute publications on terrorism.

Government Agencies and Commissions

Selected Documents and Resources from Non-Governmental Organizations and Research Centers

U.S. Institute of Peace Web Resources

These links complement the Institute Special Report: Adapting to the New National Security Environment

Government Agencies and Commissions

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
The web site contains a December 2000 report on Global Trends 2015: A Dialogue About the Future With Nongovernment Experts which includes chapters on national and international governance, future conflict, major regions and the global economy.

Government Printing Office (GPO)
The GPO web site has an electronic edition of the U.S. Code with 50 USC 402, the section of the U.S. Code for the National Security Act of 1947 and subsequent amendments, establishing the National Security Council.

National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
The Commission "(also known as the 9-11 Commission), an independent, bipartisan commission created by congressional legislation and the signature of President George W. Bush in late 2002, is chartered to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including preparedness for and the immediate response to the attacks." The web site contains staff statements presented at public hearings, a schedule of hearings, archives of audio, video and transcripts from the public hearings, reports and press releases. Its final report, released Thursday, July 22, 2004 is available from the commission's web site and from the Government Printing Office (GPO) web site.

National Security Agency (NSA)
The web site the nation's "cryptologic organization." The NSA "coordinates, directs, and performs highly specialized activities to protect U.S. information systems and produce foreign intelligence information." The web site contains press releases, public speeches, briefings, and declassified documents.

National Security Council (NSC)
Web site describes the establishment of the NSC and contains a chronology and history of the National Security Council, 1947-1997, as well as listing for NSC staff and functions. Includes a link to The National Security Strategy of the United States of America, issued by President Bush September 2002.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
The web site of the OMB contains documents related to the budget process and links for the current proposed Budget of the United States Government. Additional links to the Budget of the United States Government are on the Government Printing Office (GPO) web site.

U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century (USCNS/21)
Reports of the Commission, also known as the Hart-Rudman Commission, are available online, including Phase 1: New World Coming: American Security in the 21st Century, Phase 2: Seeking a National Strategy: a Concert for Preserving Security and Promoting Freedom and Phase 3: Roadmap for National Security: Imperative for Change. All three reports are in PDF which requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to view.

U.S. Congress: House Armed Services Committee
The committee has serveral reports on National Security available in PDF which requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to view.

U.S. Department of State: Foreign Relations of the United States, 1945-1950: Emergence of the Intelligence Establishment
The preface identifies the goals and purpose of the series, to present "the official documentary historical record of major foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity of the United States Government." Texts providing background information on the National Security Act of 1947 are included. A listing of all volumes available online can be found as part of the Office of the Historian.

U. S. Department of Defense
The web site contains defense news and information concerning the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Armed Forces, with a site map and search capability. The news section contains news articles, press releases, photos, transcripts of briefings, a news archive and speeches. Also lists links to several Department of Defense web sites.

U.S. Department of State
Selected sections of the State Department's web site dealing with national security and foreign relations include: International Affairs Budget; Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, part of the Office of the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security and Policy Planning Staff, which has speeches and testimony on American foreign policy and national security. A Nov. 29, 2000 address by Under Secretary Pickering on "National Security in the 21st Century: Defense Issues for the New Administration." is included in General Foreign Policy and Overview archival information.

Selected Documents and Resources from Non-Governmental Organizations and Research Centers

The Brookings Institutition
The National Security Council Project,"represents the most comprehensive study of the National Security Council (NSC) to date, from its origins in 1947 through the Clinton Administration," includes oral history roundtable transcripts and a policy briefing by Ivo H. Daalder and I. M. Destler on A New NSC for a New Administration.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Global Policy Program of the Endowment includes several projects: Information Revolution and World Politics, Proliferation News and Resources, U.S. Leadership and Managing Global Issues. Each project page links to a project description, news, staff, publications, and events.

The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)
The International Security section includes a project on National Security in the 21st Century. Summaries of several reports are available online, specifically, A New Structure for National Security Policy Planning.

Environmental Media Services (EMS)
EMS provides journalists with current information on environmental issues. The report An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for United States National Security, October 2003, was commissioned by the U.S. Defense Department.

Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
The FAS web site has described, collected and linked to several documents on national security, including NSC-68: United States Objectives and Programs for National Security (April 14, 1950) , Presidential Directives and Executive Orders and a December 1999 report from the White House on A National Security Strategy for a New Century Also included is an executive summary of the Report of the Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States, July 15, 1998, also known as the Rumsfeld Report.

Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace
The National Security Initiative at the Hoover Institution links to summaries of publications, speeches and articles on biological and chemical terrorism.

National Defense University (NDU)
The Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University produces several publications, including the McNair Papers, the Strategic Forum and the Strategic Assessment series, the latest of which, Strategic Assessment 1999: Priorities for a Turbulent World covers global political trends, regional dynamics, military affairs and foreign policy for specific countries. The NDU Library's web site has a selection of links for National Security Strategy in its Military Policy Awareness Links (MiPAL).

RAND Corporation
The National Security: Research and Analysis section of the web site describes research in national security issues, lists new publications in PDF (requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to view), reports on hot topics and links to special projects in national security. A Transition 2001 Update and the full November 2000 report: Taking Charge: A Bipartisan Report to the President Elect on Foreign Policy and National Security are included, with links to panel members and discussion papers.

U.S. Institute of Peace Web Resources

Publications
Publications of the Institute include: Peace Watch, a newsletter published six times a year (online issues available from June 1996); Peaceworks and Special Reports publications, covering regional and topical issues; and U.S. Institute of Peace Press books (a catalog is available online).

Regional Resources
A list of 25 web pages with collections of links compiled and annotated by the U.S. Institute of Peace Library, containing information specific to regions/area studies; these pages usually support Institute Special Reports on those issues.

Topical Resources
A list of 15 web pages with collections of links compiled and annotated by the U.S. Institute of Peace Library, containing information specific to particular topics; these pages usually support Institute Special Reports on those issues. Topics include: peacekeeping, U.S. human rights policy, terrorism/counterterrorism and transatlantic relations.

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Updated: July 28, 2004

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