Rating: 
Summary: Haste Makes Waste
Review: .
Quotes on the back cover of this book laud the author's objectivity and non-partisanship, but nothing could be farther from the truth! Hiro has a strong anti-American (anti-Bush) bias and has no problem blaming the United States for ALL of Iraq's problems.The author ignores facts presented in his own book. On one hand, he goes to great length to show how the United States (through UN sanctions) has starved the Iraqi people of food and medicine. But then he fails to consider his own facts that in the same time period (1) Saddam Hussein built scores of expensive presidential palaces, (2) that Saddam Hussein shipped 40 truckloads of food and medical supplies to Palestinians in a PR move to help his cause in the Arab world, and (3) that Saddam paid Palestinian families $25,000 each for deaths fighting Israel. Within these three examples alone, how much food and medicine could have been purchased for the Iraqi people? It's true Iraqis have suffered, but the author fails to be objective, non-partisan, and fair in passing around blame. He also fails to adequately weigh the importance of Saddam's refusal to cooperate with UN inspectors. Instead, he focuses (page after page) on US pressure, spying, and policy changes as the main complicating factors in the twelve-year-old Iraqi WMD battle. If you take the author's facts as truth, BOTH countries violated the spirit (and possibly the letter) of international law at different times throughout the process. However, instead of effectively making this point, the author leaves the reader with the idea that the US committed the lion's share of violations, but that's just not true. The author dismisses those who disagree with his point of view, labeling them "arrogant" or "intellectually deficient" while those he agrees with are described in positive terms like "well-read." Without evidence or proof of any kind, Hiro imagined how George W. Bush "behaved like a boy who had his ball taken away." While on the other hand, Al Gore "articulated comprehensively." I had to reread sections, because I couldn't believe such open bias. Regardless of what you think of George W. Bush, the author's fictional embellishment was unnecessary. If the President IS such a dunce, then how hard would it be to effectively defeat his political arguments without lowering yourself to personal attacks? Why not simply focus on the issues and evaluate his policies? Tear them apart! Present your evidence and clearly show how your approach is right. I would have appreciated a balanced, honest presentation of the facts with fair and objective analysis... but I didn't get it in this book. My favorite example of the author's anti-American (or anti-Bush) slant was his dismissal of administration linkage of Saddam Hussein and terrorism. The author says there hasn't been evidence of Saddam being involved in any alleged terrorist activity since 1993, when he tried to assassinate Bush Senior. Strangely, he seems to suggest that everything is ok since Saddam's plan took place ten years ago and that it was unsuccessful anyway. Further, in response to administration criticism of Iraq for paying the families of Palestinian suicide bombers, Hiro defended Saddam again, saying it wasn't fair to say Saddam was paying $25,000 to families of Palestinian suicide bombers, since he gave money to ALL Palestinians who died fighting Israel. After all, the author says, "only 70 percent" were suicide bombers. What kind of argument is that? Hiro should rethink his repeated commentary on George W. Bush's substandard language abilities, when his own choice of words and ridiculous use of fiction reveals his bias and lack of professionalism. Given the typos, sophomoric cheap shots, and lack of editing to balance out the author's obvious bias, I get the idea that portions of this book were hastily put together so the piece could be timely. Unfortunately, instead of timely, these oversights render the work laughable and irrelevant. Don't buy this book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Storm could - and should - have been prevented
Review: Dilip Hiro has been following events in Iraq for a long time, and has written numerous volumes on the subject including what might the most comprehensive volume on the history of the Iran - Iraq war. It is important to note this, not only because this author deserves praise, but because it gives him authority in evaluting the circumstances that might or might not have warranted military intervention in Iraq in 2003. It is very clear that Hiro believes that the War in Iraq should have remained an unthinkable prospect, the sanctions had more than demoralized and eroded the potential educated middle classes that could have eventually supplied a new regime in Iraq. Meanwhile, the very same sanctions only strengthened the regime of Saddam Hussein, by making it more invaluable to the everyday survival of ordinary Iraqis who were dependent on it to guarantee the measn of everyday survival. I found this point to be especially importnat, as I lived in Libya at the height of the UN and International Sanctions and fully agree that in dictatorial regimes, the small ruling elite benefits while ordinary people that have done absolutely nothing to earn their country a pariah reputation suffer. Although the war has begun (and prematurely declared won) - who knows when and how it will really end - the book is still important to read. It's short and informative and worth well beyond the current price. As Dilip Hiro admits, the book is not meant to be a comprehesive history of modern Iraq; indeed, it is more a history of Iraq from the 1990-91 Gulf War and the unstable period of the sanctions. For those readers that would like to understand the circumstances and processes that led to the emergence of the Baáth party in Iraq and Saddam Hussein I recommed "Iraq since 1958" by Peter and Marion-Farouk Sluglett.
Rating:
Summary: A Must!
Review: Every day this book becomes more indipensable..
It is a truthful and well-documented study of the history - up to today - of Iraq in the world. Iraq and the Arab world and Iraq in America's world programme of domination and control.
Helpfully, it is also very readable.
Rating:
Summary: A Must For Those Who Really Want to Know
Review: For all people who want to know what is really behind G.W. Bush's crusade against Iraq, this is essential reading.
This book gives background information so that the reader understands the current balance of power politics.
I particularly recommend this book to Americans who want the facts.
Rating: 
Summary: Gathering Clouds
Review: Here is a book that certainly has an anti war / anti Bush administration slant. I bought the book because of the coverage it provided on what it is like actually living in Iraq today. That section of the book was an eye opener. No matter who is to blame for the current state of affairs, Saddam, the UN or the US, it is the average Joe of Iraq that is bearing the brunt of the sanctions. We all know that the sanctions were met to hurt Iraq enough so that the population would either rise up and over throw Saddam or that Saddam would do anything and everything the UN / US told him to do. Unfortunately, that did not happen. What happened is that Saddam stayed in power, the world got its oil, the UN got funding for a never ending inspection program, and the average Iraq got the shaft. Increased to third world standards of child and elderly death rates, massive reduction in public services (i.e. clean water, electric power), an almost eliminated education system, and an economy that is moving backwards daily. It makes you wonder how other sanction programs have worked. The rest of the book gives a brief history of Iraq and Saddam, basic info that can be found in many other sources. The author then details out what would probably be considered a Middle Eastern view of the UN inspections program. Is the detail wrong, judging from other sources I have read I do not think so. For every issue there are always two sides and this author has tried to find the truth in the middle. The only issue I would have is that he seamed to spend more time detailing the bad policies of US Presidents and not a lot of time talking about the horrible things Saddam has done. Even if everything detailed in the book is true, because of this perceived one-sideness, it tends to leave the reader with the impression of a bias with the author. Overall I did enjoy the book and learned a good deal. I really liked the question and answer section in the back of the book. It just seamed to me that the average pro Bush reader is going to believe the author is a shill for Saddam and denounce the full book and not just the sections of bias.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ FOR EVERY AMERICAN
Review: I am not entirely finished reading this book as of today, but I have to comment on it.
This book is a very sobering and outstanding account of the reality of life in Iraq and how it has dealt with 12 years of crippling sanctions, and American subterfuge and duplicity. It is also a good and fair account of the personality of Saddam Hussein and his regime without the spin and distortion of the U.S. controlled media. Saddam Hussein has demonized himself very well. No further lies and exaggerations on the part of the U.S. government and media should be necessary. But Saddam's behavior does not in any way excuse the U.S. government from acting in dishonorable ways, especially considering the fact that the U.S. government aided and abetted Saddam Hussein when he committed his worst atrocities in the past.
This book presents the dynamics of the UN inspections in Iraq and the shameful behavior of the U.S. government which during the whole time tried to undermine the entire process in hopes of regime change. That the U.S. has since 1991 used the sanctions to overthrown Saddam Hussein by deliberately choking the Iraqi people until they rebel against their government is no big surprise.
Saddam Hussein might of been unccoperative at times with the UN inspectors and played the "cheat and retreat" game, but it is not an overstatement that a lot of this was due to U.S. government subterfuge, spying and altering of the UN resolutions in order to keep the sanctions in place.
As of right now, no weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq. The American public has been simply lied to by a venal government.
If more Americans would be exposed to the facts contained in this book, perhaps this country would be better off today.
Rating:
Summary: Tought read, but good
Review: I recommend this to augment the LIES in the US media. You have to know what came before all the current nonsense. This book will tell you.
Rating:
Summary: An easy-to-read,but excellent book on US policy toward Iraq
Review: If you want to understand the historical background of the war against Iraq by reading a simply written book, this is the one. It will give you an idea not only about about the ongoing war, but also about the US Middle East policy in the past and today. It provides alot of historical details about the confrontation between the US and Iraq. Especially, the question-answer chapter of the book in the end helps to to review all the things you read in the book.
However, it has some shortcomings: Certain chapters are longer than they really need to be. Many small details could have been avoided, especially in sections about UN inspections. On the other side, it does not provide enough information in certain sections such as Saddam's relations with CIA when he was in exile, how the Kurds were being manipulated and betrayed by great powers so many times, the role the West played in Saddam's decision to attack Iran, and how Saddam was provoked by Quwait before the invasion and how Saddam got the idea that the US would stay neutral against Iraq in the case of an Iraqi invasion of Quwait. A good book to read.. I strongly recommend.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but dated, info; didn't hold my attention
Review: IRAQ IN THE EYE OF THE STORM by Indian author Dilip Hiro is about the suffering of Iraq due to UN imposed economic sanctions. He contends that most of Iraq's internal problems are the result of unjust external pressure from the US and Britain to further their political goals, and that without the sacntions Iraq would be in much better economic shape. Iraq, currently under US occupation, was frought with poor sanitaion, government govenment rationing of supplies to assure a semblance of fair distribution, economic depression, rampant inflation, and severe lack of funding for health care and education, not to mention the political tyranny Saddam exercised over Iraq's non-Arab, non-Sunni ethnic groups. Under the sanctions, absoloutely nothing in the realm of supplies that weren't authorized food or medicine (like paper and engine parts) were forbidden to be imported. What the current US occupation will bring about is anyone's guess, but it does have unknown ulterior motives. Hiro looses points by somewhat romanticizing Saddam Hussein in his war against Iran from 1980-88, painting him almost as a war hero and glossing over Saddams atrocities and human rights abuses. Some other commentators condemned this book as being 'anti-American,' and mentioning that Saddam poured inordinate amounts of Iraq's oil money into palaces and donating massive sums of money to families of Palestinian suicide bombers. This is true, but such self aggrandizment is universal among totalitarian, egotistic dictators, and Saddam is no exception (look at the Soviet Union, China and America's entertainment industry). Also, it's not like the Palestinians are well off right now anyway. The style of this book wasn't interesting or engaging and I was only able to finish the first half, and by that time Gulf War II was well under way so I decided to wait until that settled before I read more about Iraq as a topic. Take a look at IRAQ IN THE EYE OF THE STORM for an alternative analysis of the situation in Iraq pre-Gulf War II that definitely disagrees with the current corperate-globalist neoconservative administration.
Rating:
Summary: What a marvelous book! Every American should read this!
Review: This is a marvellous read, a meaty and elegant introduction to Iraq, its politics and people told by a seasoned, trustworthy observer, whose earlier book on the Iran-Iraq war is a classic. It's a travelogue through a devastated Iraq punished by UN sanctions and intimidated by Saddam's terrifying dictatorship; a vibrant detour through Iraqi history ancient and modern; and a devastating critique of US realpolitik in the region, in which the reader comes away with the impression that Bush's plan to invade Iraq in early 2003 could have the same devastating and traumatic impact that the events of 1948 have had on the region. YOu want a clash of civilizations? Well, that's what we're going to get if Bush has his way, the author suggests. Thank God Dilip Hiro is sounding the alarm bell in his passionate and vigorous prose.
There's something for everything here, for the general reader and the actvist; but the questions at the back of the book -- Frequently and Infrequently Asked Questions about Iraq-- are, I think, an enormously useful primer for anti-war activists who want to prevent Bush and Blair taking us headlong to Armageddon.
|
