Iraq War

Gr 7 Up—Rodney Carlisle (Chelsea House, 2010) traces the origin of the Iraq War through the early part of 2010, providing information about events leading up to the war and a detailed description of the clash. Both sides of the issue are covered. Carlisle also describes the differences between the Iraq War and the Persian Gulf War and why the latter was better supported by the international community. Carlisle does not just look at debates on the Iraq War, but also provides information about the weapons used, the logistics of the conflict, and its aftermath. He looks at the larger issues within the conflict, such as the arguments over weapons of mass destruction, the rise of terrorism (particularly 9/11), and the religious divide in Iraq. There is only a very slight bias in the presentation. For the most part, only the facts are presented, leaving students to decide how to view the conflict. The narrator speaks in a straightforward manner and at a nice pace for comprehending the material. A fine addition for classes studying current events and for student research.—Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY