Book Description
The riveting, action-packed true story of the first soldier to challenge the war in Iraq.
As a 1st Lieutenant and Infantry Platoon Leader for the U.S. Army, charged with leading 38 young men in Iraq, Paul Rieckhoff was proud to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who served during Vietnam and WWII respectively. He and his soldiers spent almost a year in one of the most dangerous and volatile areas of Baghdad. And what they encountered there was chaos: not nearly enough troops, no humanitarian aid, no body armor, no radios, and no real plan for what to do after Baghdad fell.
Rieckhoff was shocked to see that sometimes the greatest challenges his platoon faced did not come from enemy combatants. He saw fi rsthand the disastrous results of disbanding the Iraqi army, sending thousands of armed, angry, and unemployed men out into the streets. And he saw what happened when we tried to conduct a war on the cheap, by bestowing government contracts to the lowest bidder and sending our military into battle inadequately protected and armed. What followed, over the next ten months, set him on a course that would forever change his life.
When he fi nally came home from his tour of duty, Rieckhoff vowed to tell Americans the truth about what was going on in Iraq. He demanded accountability from elected officials and was the first Iraq veteran to do so publicly. He created Operation Truth, the first and largest veterans' group specifically for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through this organization, he has become a leading spokesman for troops, veterans, and their families, and a critical voice in the ongoing debate surrounding this conflict.
What is really happening in Iraq? Should we be there? Should we stay? Rieckhoff is in a unique position to answer these crucial questions. Not only was he on the ground in the heat of battle but he is also on the front lines politically at home. He provides a grunt's-eye view of the harrowing, bloody battles on the streets of Baghdad and a patriot's vision of where America has gone wrong and how it can reset its path.
Customer Reviews:
Honesty will get you nowhere.......2007-10-14
I had a hard time putting this book down. Sure, we are getting bombarded with Iraq War memoirs and most are worthy of a glance, but this one, with its predictable end, still is one of the better ones. I have not heard of one person who spoke galiantly of Paul Bremer (except for GWB) and this author is no exception. What he endured is embarrassing for the military and the people who were all for this war in the end.
From armcahir warriors in the rear to high-ranking officers behind air-conditioned offices safely protected by SCUD bunkers and the like, this book gives a very good perspective of the army in 2003, Baghdad in 2003 and the general feelings of the Iraqis at the time. This book is not perfect, though (sometimes the pages are filled with anger and malice). But I grant the author that because he risked his life and the life of his platoon to carry out his mission. He has the right to feel the way he does, and I respect him for that. I'd rather read an honest portrayal about a war than an embellished report written with an agenda in mind.
Still, it makes one wonder how we can ever succeed in Iraq with the things described in this book. I finished it wondering if the officers were for this war to get their careers punched; in 2003 many thought the war would take three to nine months. Three months into the war, that view no longer existed. The author made a point throughout the book to remind us of the senselessness of this operation. This book is definitely not a book found in a recruiting office.
A book befitting our time.......2007-09-21
The J Affect
Paul Rieckoff is a true patriot. His book, Chasing Ghosts, shows a soldier amidst the chaos of war and puts the reader as close to the front lines in the war on terror as you can be without being there. As we sit back home, comfortable in our easy chair and watch the news, we see stories second and third hand concerning the war. Paul places the reader with his troop, giving a remarkable, educated, and honest recall of the war from the front. When we hear a story, briefly describing the latest guffaws and blunders from our leadership who never served, Paul gives us the direct affect it has on the soldiers on the front lines of this unique battle as well as what affect it may have in the near future back home. While reading, you have to wonder what might happen if all our soldiers were his equal. From his pre-war training, through his time on the battlefield of Baghdad, to his reaction upon returning home, Paul keeps his story open, without political agenda. His only agenda is for the accountability of leadership and the ability to recognize what supporting our troops really means. His arrogance is delightful. His prose keep his story moving well. This is a good recommendation to anyone watching the flapping heads on television and want to know the real story from the front.
Chasing Ghosts-Not enough stars to accurately rate this one.......2007-09-19
Incredibly written. One of thew best books I've read in years. Whether you are for or against the war, you leave this book with a whole new respect for the men and women that have put their lives on ther line for us!
Reviewed by John D. Merrill.......2007-08-21
Chasing ghosts is the recounting of the first fourteen months of the US invasion of Iraq and the personal results of one soldier's life. Running chronologically, the book describes the expectations of this skeptic and how his sense of purpose in the invasion was tenuous to begin with and waned when the reports of WMDs were not valid and there was not clear way out once Saddam fell.
Paul continues with the growing insurgency and the bonds of American soldiers who were fighting them. He outlines the policy ideas and changes that directly affect the troops on the ground. He describes the experiences with the invasion and how their roles turn to peacekeepers and police for the volatile parts of Iraq. He was clear to include the specific details of when his company and platoon first noticed organized insurgency and when the first one of his company was killed by insurgents. Paul describes the high tensions of keeping the peace, dealing with thieves and opportunists, and worst of all; the American Media. He wraps up his time in Iraq with recounting his, self-described, movie like departure from Iraq.
Once out of Iraq, his story continues in his quest to be heard about his concerns for the troops in Iraq and America in general. He describes the problems for soldiers returning home. One of his friends from Iraq had returned home and suffered from post traumatic stress and after he had returned home had gone missing. Paul's frustrations were not from post-war trauma as much as the posturing and politics behind the home front. He makes it clear that the power that be in Washington, both Republican and Democrat, have show their interests in the welfare of the troops are more lip-service than anything else. He begins to speak on behalf of the servicemen he considers family. Much like his tour in Iraq, he chronicles his progress working with "Operation Truth," the non-profit organization for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans. He has spoken to the President and several Senators, including Kerry and Clinton. He is trying to be heard and in this book he gets his message across.
An adept glimpse of the myth of war.......2007-08-19
Rieckoff has captured the spirit of urban combat and humanizes the humanitarian ideals of American forces and Iraqis alike with his heartfelt memoir. His work is an important addition to a reader's understanding of an environment laced with ideological undertones which combine religion, politics, ethics and morality. Distant observers of a little understood war will gain an insider's view of horrific events, yet not be overly subjected to gory details. When the last page is read, the real costs of war will be better understood, and this will lead to knowing why it is important to support our troops abroad and at home. As a Vietnam vet, I can relate to the writer's views. I salute him and the men he led during their deployment.
Book Description
Authors Efraim Karsh and Inari Rautsi, experts on Middle East history and politics, have combined their expertise to write what is largely considered the definitive work of one of the world's most reviled and notorious figures. Drawing on a wealth of Iraqi, Arab, Western and Israeli sources, including interviews with people who have had close contact with Saddam Hussein throughout his career, the authors trace the meteoric transformation of an ardent nationalist and obscure Ba'th party member into an absolute dictator. Skillfully interweaving a realistic analysis of Gulf politics and history, and now including a new introduction and epilogue, this authoritative biography is essential for understanding the mind of a modern tyrant.
Customer Reviews:
A Standard Text That is Immune from Present-Day Biases.......2007-02-06
I recently began to read this book because it was published in 1991 (following the Persian Gulf War) and thus long predates the current (2007) catastrophe in Iraq, with all the attendant biases arising out of the American invasion and occupation. I am simply a lay reader with a desire to know more about the modern political development of Saddam and Iraq and am not qualified to evaluate this book. HOWEVER, as a reality check I looked at a couple of objective sources to help me make a judgment about whether the book is worth reading. The answer is unquestionably yes.
First, if you check on Amazon.com (or the Library of Congress catalogue at loc.gov) for other books by the principal author, Efraim Karsh, you will see that he has published a large number of academic monographs on many aspects of Middle East politics, both before and after this book was written. The most recent of these was published in 2006 by Yale University Press, and there are many others spanning three decades. He was teaching at King's College, University of London, when he wrote this Saddam biography in the early 1990s and is still there, now as Professor and Head of the Mediterranean Studies program at King's.
Second, I looked at one university on-line catalogue, in this case Princeton University because of its strength in Political Science and International Relations, to see whether they long ago sent this book to off-campus storage (or worse) or still consider it relevant. At Princeton there are SIX copies of this book currently on reserve in the main university library. This suggests that Princeton professors and librarians still consider the book to be of great value for students of the Middle East and the current Iraq crisis.
I have therefore given this book five stars not because I feel qualified to evaluate it but because it has received alot of criticism from other readers who say a variety of negative things about the authors and the book. Given the principal author's outstanding record of publication, and the fact that he holds the senior professorship in Mediterranean Studies at one of Britain's finest universities, I think that the book at least merits serious consideration for those trying to get an understanding of what Saddam and Iraqi politics were like before the United States invasion.
Dull.......2006-03-23
This novel was not bias as other have said but it was very difficult to understand. It is incredibly all-over-the-place in terms of information. Information about a particular event may be scattered throughout the novel, making it difficult to truly understand an event that occured in the book. I had to do a novel study on this particular book and I found it frustrating because it was contradictory. This novel gives you the straight facts and nothing else.
Same old biased and unneccessary demonization.......2005-05-04
I gave this book a try because I at least thought that even though this book is a negative portrayal of Saddam Hussein, I did not think that the authors would be so biased.
This book is just the same old redundant hodgepodge of 'evil Saddam' mania that has been sweeping the US since the early 1990s. While many of Saddam Hussein's acts were ruthless and he certainly did abuse his authority, he DID do some good for Iraq, as strange as it may seem. If anyone here is looking for a fair and balanced book about Saddam Hussein, I highly reccommend 'Saddam Hussein-Politics of Revenge' by Said K. Aburish. The author himself worked for Saddam's regime until he quit because of his objections to Hussein's policies. If you want to read a good book about Saddam, don't waste your time with Saddam Hussein: A Political biography.
not as bad as others made it out to be.......2005-02-11
Having nearly finished this book, I have to say that while the book is not perfect and certainly not the best book on Iraqi politics out there, I found it to be informative and easy to read. Maybe because I've had to read so many books for school that are largely theoretical and unreadable, this book doesn't seem as bad to me as it would to others.
The subject matter is pretty straightforward. The book covers Hussein's political life up until the end of the first Gulf War in 1990. The authors do allow personal opinion to pop up from time to time, but compared to some of the other books on Iraq out there right now, I don't find it to be particularly troublesome in this instance.
If you have only a passing interest in Iraq, this book probably isn't for you. I think that people with an active interest in Iraq or the Middle East should read the book along with many others.
Totally Biased.......2004-05-01
When i first picked up this book, i thought that it would get me to understand Saddam Hussein better, better even without knowing him that well, i knew that this book is biased from the way it described him. I'm not a big fan of him and i think that he got what he deserves, but i know that from what he did in Iraq he deserves more credit for the way Iraq was in the late 80's. i would not recommend this book.
Book Description
Insightful, penetrating, and shocking, the defining
biography of Iraq's deposed tyrant
Drawing on an unparalleled network of sources, contacts, and firsthand testimonies, Con Coughlin takes us to the center of Saddam Hussein's complex, bewildering regime -- and beyond. Fully updated and revised, Saddam: His Rise and Fall meticulously describes how Hussein took power and immediately set about controlling every aspect of Iraqi life.
Coughlin examines Hussein's regime both before and after its fall, exploring the contradictions of Saddam's private life: his sponsoring of Islamic fundamentalism while whiskey drinking and womanizing as well as his reliance on and celebration of family negated by his violent and temperamental treatment of them. With evidence from family members, servants, and staff, Saddam: His Rise and Fall is unique in its close-up representation of this elusive and secretive world.
In all-new chapters and an epilogue, and with shocking new disclosures, Coughlin also vividly recounts the last few months of Saddam's reign and his eventual capture by American forces.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Biography Of Saddam.......2007-01-24
Some reviewers are judging this book based on their personal opinions about the Iraq War. But this book was originally written in 2002 and the Iraq War is only briefly discussed in a short epilogue. Of course, the situation there is even worse today, though Coughlin does mention the difficulties that lie ahead.
The fact is that this book is that not a political treatise. But is instead a well written biography that begins with Saddam's birth around 70 years ago in a small, poverty stricken village near Tikrit. He experienced what was apparently a horrific childhood with an abusive step-father. Around age 10 he was sent off to live with his Nazi sympathizer uncle, Tulfah Khairallah. As a young adult Saddam began to rise through the Baath Party ranks, considered an effective thug and hitman who was willing to do the party's "dirty work" against potential enemies. Eventually Saddam's ruthless brutality enabled him to become the dictator of Iraq. Of course, from there his atrocities only grew worse, including the gassing of the Kurds and over a million left dead during his bloody 8 year war against Iran. Meanwhile the United States, the Soviet Union, France and Germany all supported Iraq with military supplies and assistance during this time, apparently considering him the "lesser of two evils" compared to Iran.
Coughlin does an excellent job in presenting the psychological and cultural background that produced Saddam. Still it remains hard to fathom the type of mentality that could lead someone to order the horrific number of murders and torture cases that occurred during his reign. Saddam was a vicious tyrant. But this book also presents a realistically bleak portrait of Iraq's political environment that offers no easy solutions for a better future without him.
I think Bush and the neo-cons were incredibly naive going into this war believing that they could turn Iraq into a Western style democracy. As a result the situation there is a disaster. But regardless of your political opinions on the war, this is an excellent biography of Saddam that will increase the knowledge of anyone that reads it.
Needs updating and better research.......2006-10-12
Someone must be suffering from cold feet.
The Iraqi army has dissolved and disintegrated and regrouped into small widely separated divisions, up to now incapable of organized performances, least of all policing Baghdad.
The world ridiculed the idea that Saddam had amassed weapons of mass destruction (now ironically referred to as `had the potential capability of possessing WMD' - you see! the legend `potential' was simply added to give an evasive answer to the question `why has the UN decided to remove Saddam?'
Now we listen to bits and pieces of a so-called `Saddam's court martial', where Saddam has been exhausting the court but never exhausted, engaging everyone in heated arguments, until the judge was on the verge of losing his temper. Indeed he lost it and dismissed Saddam.
Saddam won the day!!!!
It was a great personal victory for Saddam.
Of course no one has any means of knowing who's really speaking the truth.
The coalition forces believed they had at last a revealing insight into the state of Saddam's mind after his dishonourable capture, but the way the ex-president is treated in court leaves a lot to be desired.
Many responsible officials after Saddam were about to commiserate on their heavy responsibilities despite the support they have been getting from the `strongest power on this planet'
I saw the look of dismay in the eyes of those who read this prematurely written book; perhaps the author thought that Saddam would be a dead corpse by the time this epistle had been published.
Who knows!
And Iraq, in the absence of as strong a government, is still in terrible predicament.
The battle for Saddam Hussein is virtually beginning.
To many laypersons in the Arab world, the `story' does not seem to be finishing soon, and the author will have to revisit the last four years brimful with additional important material for his readers.
A "hands on " Stalin/Hitler -- Saddam himself did some of the dirty work (killing).......2006-10-11
A good detailed account of how Saddam used brutal stalinist methods to take control of Iraq. His control of Iraq was so complete that it took a strong outside force to bring him down.
Mostly very good book that makes Saddam out to be the murderer he is.......2006-09-09
I love the way Saddam's dreaded Anfal Campaign where he murdered over 100,000 Iraqi Kurds in just one year in the 1980's is given depth by the author. As for why the US did not stop Saddam during this time; well the Cold War with the Soviet Union was still going on at this time and the US was still slightly paarlyzed by the pacifist movement of 1970.
Back to this book it would be 5 stars without the homosexual reference Coughlin put in.
Dont waste your time.......2005-12-20
I would have givin this book a 0 star but that option wasnt availabe.This author really needs to do his research all over again.For instace on page 7 he talks about the "7 pillars of islam"when actually there only is 5 PILLARs in Islam.This might not seem like a big deal but througout this book you find little lies here and there.And by the time you finish the book it turns into one big lie.The author mentions that Saddam gassed his people but FAILS to mention that it was our government of the USA that supplied it to him.He protrays Bush and his administration as heros bet he feels dumb now after we found no WMDs and that we screwed the whole nation up.For some truth read "forbidden truth".And also read the PNAC doctrine.Dont waste your time with this book.
Book Description
In July 1979, Saddam Hussein became the President of Iraq. His dictum was simply expressed--power through terror. During the first decade of his presidency, Saddam engaged in three wars: the Iran-Iraq War, the invasion of Kuwait, and the Gulf War of 1991. After September 11th, the "war on terrorism" led to the March 2003 war against Iraq and the eventual capture of Sadddam Hussein effecitively ending his rule over the Iraqi people. On April 9, 2003, a handful of U.S. Marines helped a small crowd of Iraqis gathered in Firdos Square to tear down a statue of Saddam Hussein. Since his capture, Saddam has been transferred to Iraqi legal custody and awaits his trial for atrocities committed during his regime. This biography details Saddam's difficult childhood in Tikrit and his politically influential teenage years in Baghdad with his uncle. His involvement with the Iraqi Ba'ath Party led to his participation in an assassination attempt on then Prime Minister Qassem. In his early political life, Saddam retained the lessons of village life learned in his difficult Tikrit childhood, but they would become enmeshed with his discovery of Ba'athism and pan-Arabism. Once he became President of Iraq, Saddam often ruled with force and a carefully cultivated image throughout the use of visual imagery and books. Though Saddam no longer rules Iraq, the legacy of his reign will likely shape Iraqi history for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
Details lesser-known aspects of his personal life.......2006-09-03
Hussein became Iraq's president in 1979, where he held power through terrorism into modern times. His reign was marked by three wars until he was overthrown by the US: Shiva Balaghi`s biography Saddam Hussein details lesser-known aspects of his personal life, from a difficult childhood and politically charged teen years to his involvement in politics and rise to power. His rule and its effects will be felt for decades, which makes Saddam Hussein: A Biography more than of passing interest.
Great book!!!.......2006-03-04
The book is more than a biography of Saddam Hussein. It really covers the history of modern Iraq. The book is simple (but not simplistic), well written, and well documented. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to know the history behind the horrible headlines we see about Iraq every day. There's a chapter on Saddam and culture which was unexpected in a straight up biography format. This book is a great read for anyone interested in Iraq, the Middle East, US foreign policy, and world affairs.
Average customer rating:
- A complex but excellent biography on Saddan Hussein.
- Required reading to understand the current situation
- Highly readable biography of Saddam
- A SAVVY, ENJOYABLE PAGE-TURNER
- Balanced view
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Saddam Hussein: The Politics of Revenge
Said K. Aburish
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA
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ASIN: 1582340501 |
Book Description
Said K. Aburish presents an authoritative and timely book that explains the man the Western world fears the most. Drawing on the author's knowledge of and contacts with the Arab world, especially in Iraq, Said Aburish gives us an accurate, compelling biography and psychological profile of the man the western world fears most. The author worked with Saddam Hussein in the 1970s and is therefore able to add dimension and personal experience to our understanding of this remarkable dictator. The book includes an account of Saddam's series of personal quests: for recognition after being orphaned and brought up by a destitute uncle; for control of his country; for leadership in the Arab world; for mastery in the technology of destruction.
This is the frightening story of how the man who, with the encouragement of Western governments, made his country the most advanced in the Arab world in the 1970s, and through personal ambition led it to disaster at the end of the 1980s, and now fights for its survival. Aburish's personal experience and exclusive inside sources make this an important, unique and necessary look at one of the most terrifying leaders in the world today.
Customer Reviews:
A complex but excellent biography on Saddan Hussein. .......2007-02-14
Most people living in the United States have been subjected to an enormous amount of hate propaganda concering Saddam Hussein. In the pre-Gulf War period and even to this day, most Americans have been brainwashed into thinking that Hussein was the closest thing to the anti-Christ. Although Hussein deserves this reputation up to a point, most people don't realize the complexity of ethnic groups in that country and of U.S.-Iraq relations. This complex but excellent book provides a fantastic introduction into who Saddam was and his relationship with the United States. What makes this book especially special is that it was written by an Iraqi. Although outside biographers can also write good biographies, there is somthing unique when the book is written by a native. This man is writing about his country and his leader, something which is a part of his blood and soul. Just by being an Iraqi, he probably knows more about his country than even outside experts.
This book is highly detailed, and it discusses Hussein from birth to about the late 1990s. It talks about how to pronounce his name properly. It discusses the involvement of Husseing in two coup attempts. The author acknowledges that Hussein was a thug, a butcher, and villian. There is no doubt about that, but he also exposed the hypocrisy of the United States. This hypocrisy is becoming more and more prevalent as this second Iraq war continues to drag. There was a time when the United States supported Hussein, even though it was known he was a ruthless dictator. They provided Iraq with weapons and aid throughout the 1980s. There is no doubt about that. It was only when Hussein began to reject the policies of the United States that he became an enemy. The U.S. government never cared for the freedom and well-being of the Iraqi people. Sadly, Iraq stands a important geo-political strategic point for the United States.
In many ways, Hussein was like a puppet on the world stage. He was under the strings of the U.S. and USSR. The author makes no apologies for Hussein, but he exposes the reality of the situation. Although Saddam was a harsh leader, he was able to calm the differences between the Sunnis, the Shiites, and Kurds. The United States is not doing that. That is why Iraq has turned into the meatgrinder that it has become.
Required reading to understand the current situation.......2004-04-29
Now, perhaps more than when Saddam was in power, this book is required reading in understanding the current situation in Iraq.
As Aburish so clearly illustrates, for decades the US supported Baath Party and Saddam Hussein. In the process they back stabbed on more than one occasion the Kurds, the Shia and other groups who opposed Saddam. This betrayal has certainly been a contributing factor to the situation as it exists now (2004) with various insurgent groups attacking US forces. While it's true that some of these groups are coming from external influences (e.g. Syria and Iran), it's also true that some are just people who view the US as a hostile occupying force. Part of the distrust came from the history Aburish describes here.
The notion that Aburish is somehow "anti-US" misses the point entirely. The US policy toward Saddam post Gulf War I was one of of "positive containment." As explained by a member of the National Security Council in 1991: "Our goal [was] to remove Saddam Hussein, not his regime." This meant that we actively prevented other groups from overthrowing the regime. Indeed, as reported by the major media, Kurdish and Shia rebel leaders were told during a coup attempt orchestrated by the CIA that they should "not get in the way of our operation."
How could we have dealt with Saddam? This is perhaps a weakness of Aburish's book, but it's one created in part by a totally warped US policy. At one point can we go back in time and stop supporting his brutal regime? Since we can't go back in time, how can we change our actions so that they represent true American ideals? In this manner of thinking, Aburish's analysis actually wasn't that far off. In the long haul we might have gotten rid of Saddam by a policy that supported the Iraqi people instead of one that resigned them to victims of both their own government and the US dominiated UN policy of genocidal sanctions - a policy that ultimately strengthened Saddam domestically.
With Saddam now gone from power this book is perhaps a little dated. However, it is necessary reading if you want a better understanding of the current quagmire created by the US invasion.
Highly readable biography of Saddam.......2003-02-16
Aburish's biography of Saddam Hussein is a refreshing retelling of a story that's been muddled by a decade or more of half-truths and lies. The strengths are that he himself took part to a large extent in dealings with the Iraqi regime during the decade of the Iraq/Iran war. Aburish's insights and commentary are invaluable. The weaknesses in the book become readily apparent. Said has some duplicity in the regimes attempted acquisition of a nuclear [device] and other weapons of mass destruction. Said is also anti American and anti British. When he addresses US involvement in the Gulf War his arguments become tirades against Saddam , the US and Britain. It's his very ant-US and British attitude that make Aburish's recommendation for dealing with the Iraqi regime nothing but a mechanism for the continuation of oppression by Saddam and the so called Ba'athists.
Aburish's own involvement in the regime and view of the US aside, I highly recommend this biography of Saddam Hussein. He sets right many misconceptions about the Iraqi dictator. His mother was not a prostitute and Saddam didn't commit [destruction] at the age of 15. These myths and other myths are dispelled. What Aburish does is to emphasize the tribalness of Saddam by setting it in the context of Arab culture. Saddam becomes less a madman than a ruthless tribal leader for whom you are either with the tribe or against it. Opposition to the regime is treated like a blood feud. Even Saddam's affinity for Stalin makes sense. Both were the sons of poor peasants widowers in semi-tribal societies (Stalin was ethnically Georgian not Russian) and both used control of the bureaucracy to help in gaining control of power.
In spite of its weaknesses The Politics of Revenge is a highly readable and informative.
A SAVVY, ENJOYABLE PAGE-TURNER.......2002-10-16
Breezy but informative bio that attempts to explain Hussein's stature as the most popular dictator in recent memory. Nice photos, too!
Balanced view.......2001-06-04
Aburish has written a good book on Saddam Hussein. One has to remember that it is part of the writing process to understand your readers' perspective. So, in this case it means that Saddam has to be judged by western standards. I have lived ten years in Iraq and liked especially Aburish Said's critical thinking towards horror stories that come from Iraq. I noticed while living in Saddam's Iraq (1980-1990) that iraqis tell all kinds of stories that are not to be taken literally. For example iraqis said that one European ambassador had slapped on the face of his European subordinate. The ambassador in question became very angry at such story. Of course it was true that this ambassador was angry, but to resort to physical violence is very serious matter in Europe. Iraqis just added this minor thing about hitting to illustrate how angry he was. I feel that in many cases stories that are coming out of Iraq are not exactly true in western sense. Aburish analyses well for example the case when Saddam killed his health minister. Iraqis hoped for peace, so they mixed their hope of peace with Iran to the fact that Saddam killed a minister. So story changed in the minds of iraqis, who thought that this minister had told something bad to Saddam in order to make peace with Iran. Aburish corrects many similar stories with his rational thinking. Of course it is true that Aburish has written his book mostly from his memory. So there are few mistakes. For example Saleh Ammash didn't die in 1975 (perhaps 1985 is correct). But these are minor things, because Aburish is so well informed about the Middle Eastern politics. It is always pleasure to read Aburishes books. His book about House of Saud is written with great wit.
Average customer rating:
- Can I give it five-and-a-half stars? Outstanding book on the real Saddam!
- The Benevolent Leader of Iraq
- A fond tribute to Saddam Hussein
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Saddam Hussein (Chelsea House Library of Biography)
Nita M. Renfrew
Manufacturer: Chelsea House Pub (L)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
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ASIN: 0791017761 |
Customer Reviews:
Can I give it five-and-a-half stars? Outstanding book on the real Saddam!.......2006-10-03
This book, by the very fine Anti-UN
Journalist Nita M. Renfrew is also
available as a download by typing the
name Tom Valentine into a search engine.
Miss Renfrew was on Mr Valentine's fine
Radio Free America (1988-2004) show
back in 2003 and tapes of the show
are available at [Mahalo and Aloha!}
richunderscoresalzeratyahoodotcom.
The Benevolent Leader of Iraq.......2006-04-24
This book, allowed to go out-of-print, and which is no longer listed at the Chelsea House website, was written back in 1992 before Saddam became demonized and villainized by the Bush establishment, the New World Order crowd, and, of course, the Jews' media. This book unfolds the story of Saddam in a simple, frank way, without endless pages of commentary. It tells about Jewish Israel and their reign of terror on the native Palestinians, their plans to expand until they seize all lands in the middle-east, building their empire on the blood of the Islamic Arabic peoples.
The author presents the facts which themselves disprove the many manufactured atrocity stories being circulated about President Hussein. The author reveals the many constructive and positive programs he employed to build Iraq into a prosperous industrialized nation. His emancipation of women, public works and internal improvements as part of his populist politics are discussed in a brief way that gets right to the point.
Throughout the book, the author gets to the point without wasting the reader's time on long-winded boring commentary. The author reveals clearly that Saddam intended to withdraw from Kuwait after the regime change, rendering completely unnecessary Bush's Gulf War against Iraq. The author further reveals that after Saddam ordered a withdrawal, the U.S. pursued slaughtering unarmed retreating Iraqi troops. The author reveals how the British and the U.S. violated their agreements and promises with the Arabic nations for decades, actions which largely amounted to deliberate provocation.
If you want a balanced view of Saddam, this books offers such a balance by refuting the lies and propaganda which typify dozens of other books written about Saddam Hussein.
A fond tribute to Saddam Hussein.......2003-04-05
This book is part of the Chelsea House Library of Biography series. This book, published in 1992, covers the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein from birth to the 1990-91 Gulf War.
First of all, it must be said that this book is highly favorable to Saddam Hussein. Iraq is portrayed as a downtrodden country, continually betrayed and schemed against by the British, the Soviets, the Americans, the Israelis, the Iranians, and every other neighbor. Saddam himself is portrayed as an enlightened, liberal leader, who is the focus of a campaign of misinformation. Anything bad reported about Saddam is either ignored in this book (most everything), or dismissed as misinformation.
Overall, I think that the Iraqi Ministry of Information could not have produced a better book than this. If you are interested in a balanced look at Saddam Hussein, then you *must* look elsewhere. But, if you are looking for a book that lionizes him, then this book is for you.
Average customer rating:
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Saddam Hussein (Biography (a & E))
Dale Anderson
Manufacturer: Lerner Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Political
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General
| Ages 9-12
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ASIN: 0822599015 |
Book Description
Saddam Hussein has worn many hats since the last President Bush branded him “the dictator of Iraq” who “systematically raped, pillaged, and plundered” Kuwait before driving him from the country in 1991. Before the Gulf War, Hussein was a U.S. ally who led a modern, secular, and westernized Middle Eastern nation. Afterward, he was a defeated dictator on the brink of being ousted, the brutal repressor of the Kurds, and a cagey sanctions-dodging head of state, first foiling and then halting United Nations arms inspections. He has positioned himself as pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel, and the victim of crippling, murderous U.S. embargoes. As permanent Security Council member states called for an end to sanctions against Iraq, the Clinton administration maintained that Hussein was a ruthless leader who had put his people in the path of illness, bombs, and starvation to further his own ends. The current Bush administration has singled him out for removal. In this book, writers from across the political spectrum and across the world tackle Hussein’s many public and private faces, discussing this complicated man and his long-suffering country. The result is a contentious and enlightening exploration of the secular Iraqi dictator who has become public enemy number one in America’s near-holy war against terrorism. Selections are from leading commentators, such as Shyam Bhatia, Efraim Karsh, Khidr Abd Al-Abas, Elaine Sciolino, Fred Halliday, Mansour Farhang, Dilip Hiro, Christopher Hitchens, Edward Said, Kanan Mayika, Eqbal Ahmed, Andrew and Patrick Cockburn, Robert Fisk, and more.
Customer Reviews:
Still Useful.......2007-09-28
This book was published in 2002. Saddam Hussein was still in hiding and interest in knowing more about him and his brutal regime was still high. Now that Hussein has been captured and executed, interest has diminished. Nevertheless, this book remains an excellent resource for anyone wishing to better understand how Hussein came to power and how he was able to exercise total control over such a fractious population. One of the most interesting chapters is Hussein's "Call for Jihad" in September 1990, wherein he exhorts the Iraqi people to "save the entire human race...highlight the message of the meanings of Islam...and save humanity from the injustice of the tyrants and usurpers..." His appeal then will surely still resonate with the insurgents fighting against US forces in Iraq today. The chapters are taken from numerous articles/speeches by a variety of individuals (from Faud Matar to Noam Chomsky) who have differing points of view, some journalistic, others political or propagandistic. Nevertheless, the book as a whole is instructive and still pertinent as the US seeks a successful strategy for dealing with Iraq and indeed, the entire Middle East.
Under achiever.......2004-01-11
I really did not think enough original thought went into this compilation. It was rather disappointing. You would learn more from reading a good daily newspaper once a week.
Useful, balanced and informative.......2003-02-17
The Saddam Hussein Reader is an excellent compilation of articles on Hussein's brutal regime. There are a total of thirty-eight different articles by as many authors. Edited by Turi Munthe it is divided into three parts. The first dedicated to the Saddam's rise to power and his early years, the second part focuses on the Gulf War period while the last deals with the post-Gulf War regime.
It's unfortunate that the Saddam Hussein Reader starts off with the interview of Saddam by Fuad Matar. While interesting in its own way it goes on far too long and is ultimately a PR fluff piece by a pro-Saddam journalist. The rest of the section is quite good. Especially notable are Said Aburish's excerpt from the Politics of Revenge, Ofra Bengio's analysis of his Arab viewpoint and Charles Tripp's analysis of the Iran Iraq war. Avia Shiaim offers up a genuine critique of US policy towards Iraq in the 1970's that supported the Iraqi Ba'athist party .
Part II dealing with the Gulf War offers several articles from all across the political spectrum. Especially noteworthy is Saddam's own call to Jihad against the US coalition and a counter "Fatwa" by Muslims against the Iraqi regime's invasion of Kuwait. John Esposito's analysis of Islam and the Gulf War has a lot to commend it as well.
The final portion deals with the post Gulf War era in Iraq, options for ridding it of Saddam and arguments against US involvement. All in all this is an excellent selection of articles which range from anti-Saddam to pro-Arab to anti-US. From US military officers to Israeli Academicians to Arab activists like Edward Said to left wing icons like Noam Chomsky and Saddam himself there is something for (or against) everyone.
An excellent collection of articles and highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
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Saddam Hussein (War in Iraq)
Jill C. Wheeler
Manufacturer: ABDO & Daughters
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
Political
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Middle East
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Middle East
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Military & Wars
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ASIN: 1591974992 |
Average customer rating:
- Best Little Book that Reveals the Rise and Fall of an Islamic Hitler
- Good book if you don't watch CNN
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Saddam Hussein: The Face of Evil
National Enquirer
Manufacturer: AMI Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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General
| Historical
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Iran
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Iraq
| Middle East
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ASIN: 1932270205 |
Customer Reviews:
Best Little Book that Reveals the Rise and Fall of an Islamic Hitler .......2006-12-30
This small book on Saddam Hussein was compiled by the National Enquirer.I expected a biased and made-up biography about the most evil man the arabic world has produced.Instead,it gives ,in brief chapters,the complete truthful major events of Saddam's entire life.Many people will see the parallels of Saddam and that of Adolf Hitler.If you know military history. Saddam Hussein tried to shape a cultural personality ,in the same way as Josef Stalin.Saddam was a member of the Iraqi Communist Baath party.But felt that the Iraqi communist leaders were selling out to the wishes of the Soviet Union.Hence,Saddam developed his pan-iraqi republican-iraqi labor socialist party.Saddam being his self-appointed leader,after his toadies won influencial seats to the Iraqi parliment, in 1979.All republican regimes end in failure,at some point.-Check out this book and don't dismiss it so soon.Just because some say it's 'boulevard-journalism',judge for yourself.
Good book if you don't watch CNN.......2003-09-08
This book is for teenagers that haven't watched the news and are doing a book report. Saying this, if you watch CNN and have followed the events of the both Gulf wars or even have a vague idea about what went on during these two conflicts, then 60% of this book is basically a broad and generalized summary of those events.
The first quarter of the book is interesting if you're curious as to how Saddam came to power as a young Islamic buck. Then especially interesting is Saddam's sons Uday and Quasay (whatever). Both sons would make your pot smoking kid look like an angel in comparison to the sadistic naughtiness of these two young Persian Gulf monsters.
The book reads like a text book, and lacks any sense of eloquence. Buy this book for your least favorite uncle.
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