Government Documents for You

The Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research (HIIK) at the Department of Political Science at the University of Heidelberg is a private organization. The work is dedicated to research, document, and analyze national and international political conflicts. The HIIK continually updates the COSIMO-database. The research results are periodically published in the annual Conflict Barometer.

The HIIK annually publishes the Conflict Barometer, which describes recent trends in conflict development, escalations, settlements. This publication is freely available to the public in English from 1997, 2002-Present and can be found here: http://www.hiik.de/en/konfliktbarometer/index.html.

COSIMO (Conflict Simulation Model), is the raw data on national and international conflicts from 1945 - present. The first version of the database, COSIMO 1, comprises data on national and international conflicts from 1945 to 1998 (version 1.3). You can download the dataset as xls or csv. The additional codemanual is available at following link as doc. Data from 1998 - present has not yet been published.

The Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China has provided English-translations of Government White Papers. White Papers are authoritative reports or guides that address issues and how to solve them. Some of the topics covered are:

National Defense
Ethnic Minorities
Energy
Environmental Protection
Democratic Reforms
Human Rights

These papers can be found at the following website: http://china.org.cn/e-white/index.htm

**Description taken from SIGAR's website**

The United States has committed almost $32 billion in humanitarian and other aid to Afghanistan since 2001. This amount constitutes the largest single contribution of any nation supporting the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan. When paired with the $25 billion provided by 60 other countries since the fall of the Taliban regime, the total international non-military investment in the rebuilding of Afghanistan exceeds $57 billion. To provide for the independent and objective conduct and supervision of audits, inspections, and investigations relating to these funds, Congress created the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). As such, the Office of the SIGAR is charged with overseeing the accounting for monies expended for the effective reconstruction of Afghanistan, so that it is internally and externally secure, democratic, and inhospitable to terrorism, drug trafficking, and narcotic cultivation.

The appointment of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, endowed with broad investigative powers and underpinned by independence and collegiality, constitutes a formidable and compelling instrument to make oversight of reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan a reality.

SIGAR releases quarterly reports, which can be found at the following website: http://www.sigar.mil/reports/quarterlyreports/Default.aspx

Oversight Mission and Plans: http://www.sigar.mil/reports/missions.aspx

Congressional Testimony: http://www.sigar.mil/reports/testimony/Default.aspx

The Homeland Security Council published the first edition of "Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation," its recommendations for responding to a nuclear detonation in the United States. The HSC is a Federal interagency committee with representation from the Executive Office of the President (Homeland Security Council and Office of Science and Technology Policy), the Departments of Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Transportation, Veteran's Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

According to the document, "The purpose of this guidance is to provide emergency planners with nuclear detonation-specific response recommendations to maximize the preservation of life in the event of an urban nuclear detonation. This guidance addresses the unique effects and impacts of a nuclear detonation such as scale of destruction, shelter and evacuation strategies, unparalleled medical demands, management of nuclear casualties, and radiation dose management concepts."

Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation: First Edition can be found at the following website: http://www.afrri.usuhs.mil/outreach/pdf/planning-guidance.pdf

This information is particularly relevant to residents of Gulf Coast states in light of recent natural disaster responses.

**Text taken from FEMA Press Release**

National Disaster Housing Strategy Released

Release Date: January 16, 2009
Release Number: FNF-09-001

* National Disaster Housing Strategy Base Document
* National Disaster Housing Strategy Annexes

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced the release of the National Disaster Housing Strategy. The Strategy summarizes, for the first time in a single document, the many sheltering and housing capabilities, principles, and policies that guide and inform the disaster housing process. The Strategy also charts the new direction that our disaster housing efforts must take to better meet the disaster housing needs of individuals and communities moving forward.

The Strategy promotes a national housing effort that engages all levels of government, the nonprofit and private sectors, and individuals to collectively meet the urgent housing needs of disaster victims and enable individuals, households and communities to rebuild and restore their way of life when a disaster threatens or strikes.

"The National Disaster Housing Strategy recognizes that effective housing solutions are those that go beyond simply providing a housing unit to also address the complex needs of disaster victims," FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison said. "The Strategy reflects the combined efforts of FEMA and many partner agencies, and incorporates feedback from organizations and the public that have a role in disaster housing, whether it's at the tribal, state or local level, with our private sector partners and with individuals."

The Strategy calls for a National Disaster Housing Task Force, which is chaired by FEMA, and jointly led with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the National American Red Cross and includes experts from all levels of government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. The Task Force will focus full time attention on disaster housing, developing operational plans, building disaster housing capabilities, and achieving the vision and goals of the Strategy.

"The Strategy illustrates the importance of federal, private and local partners working together to provide long-term housing assistance after a disaster," said HUD Secretary Preston. "HUD will continue to assist FEMA and others to address disaster housing needs."

FEMA received nearly 500 comments from individuals, industry representatives, associations, and State and local government representatives during the public comment period. Our housing staff has spent the past six months adjudicating these comments and seeking additional guidance and direction from our stakeholders in order to address these concerns and comments. The final Strategy incorporates most of these comments, as well as the input of numerous agencies and organizations at the federal, state, local levels. It includes seven annexes that summarize current disaster housing efforts and programs and provide the foundation to review, analyze, and improve disaster housing.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

November 9, 2009 is the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. To commemorate this event, I have created a LibGuide highlighting resources available at Mississippi State University and on the Internet about the history of the Berlin Wall. Additionally, in cooperation with the German Missions in the United States, we have books and pamphlets concerning the Berlin Wall and Germany available in the Government Documents, Microforms, and Current Journals Department at the Mitchell Memorial Library.

Additionally, the Mitchell Memorial Library will host an event on November 9th, from 4:30 - 6:00 in the Grisham Room. Five of MSU's professors will each speak about the History of the Berlin Wall, the Cold War, and the lasting significance of this event.

http://guides.library.msstate.edu/Berlin_Wall

The Reference Department at the Mitchell Memorial Library, as part of our continued service, outreach, and engagement to our community has created a new LibGuide: Living in a Recession. Christine Fletcher, Judy Li, and I have created a virtual Recession Survival Skills tool-kit that provides: budget tips, gardening, finding grants and scholarships, and other public concerns.

http://guides.library.msstate.edu/Living_in_a_Recession

We will continue updating the LibGuide over the next few weeks and months as more information becomes available.

Please feel free to send us any comments or suggestions you have!

**Press Release from the United States House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security**

January 14, 2009 (WASHINGTON) – Today, Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and former Subcommittee Chairman for Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, James R. Langevin (D-RI), released a Majority staff report entitled “Getting Beyond Getting Ready for Pandemic Influenza.”

The report examines the Nation’s state of preparedness and response capabilities in the event of a pandemic influenza outbreak. It identifies sixteen weaknesses in the outgoing Bush Administration’s approach to get prepared for pandemic influenza. In addition, the report provides fifteen critical recommendations for what Congress, the incoming Administration, and the public and private sectors can do to achieve National readiness to combat this threat.

Chairman Thompson released the following statement along with the report:

"It is possible that the next influenza pandemic will result in hundreds of thousands to millions of deaths – even here in the US. Further, pandemic influenza could destroy the security of our Nation and Homeland. Yet despite the horrific consequences, we still are not prepared as a Nation to fully withstand the impact of such a devastating widespread biological event.

The change in Presidential leadership presents a new opportunity to ensure that the Nation is ready to address pandemic influenza from a position of strength. The House Committee on Homeland Security looks forward to working with the Obama Administration to address this threat and achieve National readiness.

The will to meet and overcome pandemic influenza is as great a mission as any on the global battlefield. Our success depends on keeping up the fight until pandemic influenza is overcome.”

The report can be found at the following website: http://homeland.house.gov/SiteDocuments/20090114124322-85263.pdf

"Measuring Security and Stability in Iraq" are quarterly reports to Congress include: updates on the political stability, government reform, economic activity and budget execution, indicators by economic activity, the security environment, the Iraqi security forces - their training and performance.

Useful charts and graphs include:

Oil Production and Export
Average Daily Oil Export and Cumulative Revenue
Average Electricity Demand and Production
Overall Weekly Security Incident Trends
Civilian Deaths
ISF and U.S. Deaths in Iraq
High Profile Attacks
Ethno-Sectarian Deaths
Weapons Caches Found by Coalition and Iraqi Forces
Average Daily Executed Attacks by Province
Neighbor stability
Government Security Efforts
Provincial Iraqi Control map
Iraqi Ministry of Interiorl National Police Forces Operational Readiness

These reports are available at the following website: http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/Iraq_Reports/index.html

The Defense Science Board was established in 1956 to canvass the needs and opportunities presented by new scientific knowledge for radically new weapons systems. Members are selected on the basis of their preeminence in the fields of science, technology and its application to military operations, research, engineering, manufacturing and acquisition process. The DSB works in close coordination with the Director of Defense Research and Engineering to develop and strengthen the Department's research and development strategies for the 21st Century.

Reports from the Defense Science Board are freely available to the public and can be found at: http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports.htm

The White House Archives has preserved publications, videos, policies, photos, speeches and news releases from the Administration of President George W. Bush and they are available on the Internet. These resources offer an insightful look into President Bush's administration and are freely accessible to the public.

Publications of note:

A Charge Kept: The Record of the Bush Presidency, 2001 - 2009
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/bushrecord/documents/charge-kept.pdf

Highlights of Accomplishments and Results of the Administration of George W. Bush
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/bushrecord/documents/legacybooklet.pdf

100 Things Americans May Not Know About the Bush Administration Record
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/bushrecord/documents/appendix_acc_for_web.pdf

Selected Speeches of President George W. Bush, 2001 - 2008
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/bushrecord/documents/Selected_Speeches_George_W_Bush.pdf

**This blog posting does not constitute any sort of political endorsement and is for informational purposes only.**

The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence, tasked by the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate with using state-of-the-art theories, methods, and data from the social and behavioral sciences to improve understanding of the origins, dynamics, and social and psychological impacts of terrorism. START, based at the University of Maryland, College Park, aims to provide timely guidance on how to disrupt terrorist networks, reduce the incidence of terrorism, and enhance the resilience of U.S. society in the face of the terrorist threat.

START published a research report entitled "Public Response to Terrorism: Findings from the National Survey of Disaster Experiences and Preparedness." A national survey was conducted to study people’s experiences with, preparedness and mitigation actions for, and perceptions related to terrorism and other disasters. The report examines fifteen different questions, with some listed below:

How prepared is the public for future disasters?
What have people done to prepare for terrorism?
What are people avoiding because of terrorism?
What do people know about terrorism and other related topics?
What do people think about the possibility of a future terrorist attack?
How Prepared is the Nation?

"Public Response to Terrorism: Findings from the National Survey of Disaster Experiences and Preparedness" can be found at: http://www.ph.ucla.edu/sciprc/pdf/NC+START+Descriptive+Report.pdf

Other START publications can be found here: http://www.start.umd.edu/start/publications/

The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) is an independent, non-partisan policy research institute established to promote innovative thinking and debate about national security strategy and investment options. CSBA’s goal is to enable policymakers to make informed decisions in matters of strategy, security policy and resource allocation.

The CSBA released a report entitled "Cost of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and other Military Operations Through 2008 and Beyond." In this report, CSBA offers a comprehensive picture of the direct budgetary costs of US military operations conducted since 2001. The report also discusses the means used to budget for and finance these operations, and includes projections of how much more these operations might cost over the coming decade.

In their report "Impact of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on the US Military’s Plans, Programs, and Budgets," the CSBA assesses the effect that the operations in these two theaters have had on the plans, programs, and budgets of the US military, specifically those of the US Army. It makes projections for the future costs of the operations in these two theaters.

To see these reports, click on the following links or go to CSBA's publications page: http://www.csbaonline.org/2006-1/3.Publications/Publications_List.shtml?

Cost of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and other Military Operations Through 2008 and Beyond
Impact of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on the US Military’s Plans, Programs, and Budgets

Hard Lessons: The Iraq Reconstruction Experience is a publication of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), a temporary federal agency serving the American public as a watchdog for fraud, waste, and abuse of funds intended for Iraq reconstruction programs.

The description below was taken from the SIGIR website.

Since the March 2003 invasion, the Congress appropriated about $50 billion in taxpayer dollars for Iraq's relief and reconstruction. This generous provision funded a continuously evolving rebuilding program that sought, among other things, to restore Iraq's essential services, establish new security forces, create a free-market economy, and put the country on the path to achieving an effective democracy. Some of the initiatives succeeded but others did not. Hard Lessons, the first comprehensive account of the Iraqi reconstruction effort, reviews in detail the United States' rebuilding program, shedding light on why certain programs worked while others fell short of goals.

Beginning with the prewar planning process, Hard Lessons traces the development of reconstruction policy from its modest initial scope to is rapid expansion during the summer of 2003 under the Coalition Provisional Authority's aegis. The report chronicles the difficult challenges that confronted the reconstruction program as Iraq slipped into the grip of a deadly insurgency during 2005 and 2006. Reconstruction officials responded by moving large sums of money into security programs, which ultimately consumed over half of the $50 billion in U.S. appropriations. Increasing conflict in Iraq required a new military strategy - counterinsurgency - and a new plan - the surge - the success of which, seen in 2007, brought violence down to levels not seen since the March 2003 invasion. This salutary development finally allowed reconstruction projects to proceed relatively unimpeded. But by 2008, most of the $50 billion was spent. U.S. efforts now focused on helping Iraq better expend its own resources on the country's continuing national recovery. Hard Lessons concludes with 13 lessons draw from 6 difficult years of Iraq reconstruction.

Hard Lessons: The Iraq Reconstruction Experience can be found at the following website: http://www.sigir.mil/hardlessons/pdfs/Hard_Lessons_Report.pdf

The Center for Strategic & International Studies Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency has released its final report, "Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency." The Commission’s three major findings are:

1. Cybersecurity is now one of the major national security problems facing the United States;
2. Decisions and actions must respect American values related to privacy and civil liberties; and
3. Only a comprehensive national security strategy that embraces both the domestic and international aspects of cybersecurity will improve the situation.

The "Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency" report can be found at: http://csis.org/files/media/csis/pubs/081208_securingcyberspace_44.pdf

U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) is one of the combat commands of the Department of Defense. It is responsible for: Joint Concept Development and Experimentation, Joint Training, Joint Capabilities Development, and Joint Force Provider. The Joint Forces Command released their Joint Operating Environment 2008 Report, which provides a perspective on future trends, shocks, contexts, and implications for future joint force commanders and other leaders and professionals in the national security field. This document is speculative in nature and does not suppose to predict what will happen in the next twenty-five years. Rather, it is intended to serve as a starting point for discussions about the future security environment at the operational level of war.

The Joint Operating Environment 2008 Report can be found at: http://www.jfcom.mil/newslink/storyarchive/2008/JOE2008.pdf

Preventing Genocide: A Blueprint for U.S. Policymakers is the final report from the Genocide Prevention Task Force of the United States Institute of Peace. This report outlines potential plans for the United States, along with international partners, to take preventive action in future cases of genocide and mass atrocities. The fundamental goal of this report is to identify practical steps to enhance the capacity of the U.S. government to prevent and respond to genocide and mass atrocities.

Preventing Genocide: A Blueprint for U.S. Policymakers can be found at: http://media.usip.org/reports/genocide_taskforce_report.pdf