Masterfully told across decades of events, this book provides a unique window into Iraq under Saddam Hussein and the complex relationship between Iraq and the United States. Through meticulous research and extensive interviews, the author reconstructs pivotal moments in recent Middle Eastern history from all sides.
Readers are given an inside look at Saddam Hussein's dictatorship through transcripts of his meetings, as well as the perspectives of American presidents, diplomats, intelligence officers, and Iraqi opposition leaders. We learn about Saddam's cultivation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs and brutal suppression of dissent. But we also gain nuanced insight into his decision-making and the miscalculations that led to disastrous choices.
The book explores numerous covert operations and coup attempts by the CIA and MI6 to remove Saddam from power. It traces the ups and downs in Iraq's relationship with the United States from the Reagan era's "tilt" toward Saddam through the Gulf War and subsequent weapons inspections crisis. Readers witness crucial negotiations that shaped history but received little attention at the time.
For those seeking to understand the complex events leading up to the Iraq War, this book is a must-read. By presenting a multi-faceted, chronological account based on a wealth of sources, the author sheds new light on this history and the blind spots that prevented better decisions. Any reader interested in recent geopolitics, covert operations, intelligence analysis, or the challenges of regime change will find this book both gripping and immensely informative.
