This chapter deals with the broadest meaning of the international environment, the characteristics of particular systems, the interdependence within an emerging global system that is characterized by hierarchy.
Probably the best link for the world system is to the home page of the World-Systems Archive. You will find there a link to the Journal of World-Systems Researchhttp://csf.colorado.edu/wsystems/jwsr.html, which is an e-zine put together under the editorship of Christopher Chase-Dunn.
Don't forget to look at, and tell your students about, the globalization and democratization training program at the University of Colorado, which is called the GAD program.
The electronic version of Defense Issues provides a variety of statements, largely official, about wide ranging defense issues, including the issue of deterrence, issues that are discussed in some depth in the chapter. The above link is to the index, but more detailed information is available as you drill down. An example is U.S. Defense Secretary W.J. Perry's comments on the use of military force when deterrence fails, in which he says, ``I can tell you, that as long as I am secretary of defense, I will not send U.S. ground forces to be combatants in the war in Bosnia.''
As for alliances, NATO is the most widely known, and it maintains a NATO link that has a large variety of details about NATO, including, for example the details of the Study on NATO Enlargement, the NATO handbook, Press releases, and NATO factsheets and newsletters. Unfortunately, it is frequently very busy and serves information very slowly, especially during periods (like the present) in which NATO is involved in peace keeping or peace making activities.
As NATO comes under greater scrutiny, newer organizations are coming into place, especially in Europe. One that is very important, and maintains a good home page is the OSCE.