| Description |
xviii, 318 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Series |
The complete idiot's guide |
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The complete idiot's guide to |
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Complete idiot's guide.
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Complete idiot's guide to
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| Contents |
Part 1: The basics -- Why Iraq matters; What all the fuss is about -- Just the FAQs: Common questions about Iraq; Answers to the most common queries about Iraq today -- Babylon to Baghdad: Iraq in 2,000 words or fewer; A painless briefing on the history of this extraordinary corner of the world -- By the numbers: Iraq today; Take a look at a "snapshot" of the modern nation of Iraq -- Part 2: From Babylon to Baghdad -- Who put the "Ur" in "Urban"?; Iraq's early history -- which happens to coincide with that of human civilization -- Biblicalities; Explore the settings for some of the most famous episodes in the Bible. Guess where you end up? -- The cultural chain: Empires in Iraq; The rise and fall of the great empires that dominated this part of the world -- The Arab empire and the coming of Islam; The religious, cultural, and military movement that changed the region and the world -- Between a rock and a hard place: The Ottomans and the Persians; The Ottoman empire and its tribulations in the region that would eventually become Iraq -- Lines on a map; Discover how Western plans -- or the lack thereof -- led to the creation of the modern nation of Iraq |
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Part 2: The rise of Saddam -- West is West: The British and the Americans; The deal-cutting, opportunism, miscalculations, and compound errors that led to a profound mistrust of the West -- The enemy principle: Iraq's foreign policy; How Iraq's early leaders kept a distracted and divided populace from splintering -- Three coups; The tumultuous nature of political leadership in Iraq before Saddam Hussein -- Oil, guns, and money: Iraq's role in the world economy; The modern oil-driven economy in Iraq -- Meet the new boss: Saddam's ascent; Follow the ultimate strongman's rise in Iraq -- Rivers of blood: The Iran-Iraq war; The facts behind the bloody and prolonged conflict between these two historic enemies -- Shifting sands: Iraq between the wars; How Saddam earned a new and powerful enemy -- Part 4: The Gulf War -- The gambit: Iraq invades Kuwait; What led to the fateful decision -- The reaction: Isolating Saddam; How the United States built an unprecedented worldwide coalition -- The assault: The alliance holds; What made the U.S.-led coalition's overwhelming military victory possible -- The aftermath: Saddam survives; How Saddam ultimately won the geopolitical chess game that followed his defeat in the Gulf War -- Part 5: Victory from defeat -- Of sanctions and inspections; Implications of the flawed U.S. policy on sanctions against Iraq -- The terrorism question: A new kind of war; The disturbing questions about Saddam's current objectives and strategies that Western policymakers must now address -- On the horizon: What happens next?; Some of the possible scenarios for Western policy toward Iraq in the near future |
| Summary |
Reviews the history of Iraq since biblical times, recounts the rise of Saddam Hussein, and discusses the Gulf War, its aftermath, and possible future developments |
| Analysis |
Iraq |
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Political conditions |
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International defence relations |
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Hussein, Saddam |
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History |
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Overseas item |
| Notes |
Includes index |
| Bibliography |
Bibliography: pages [299]-302 |
| Subject |
Hussein, Saddam, 1937-2006.
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Persian Gulf War, 1991.
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| SUBJECT |
Iraq -- Politics and government. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh93003202
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Iraq -- Foreign relations.
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh93003205
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Iraq -- History. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85067941
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Iraq. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79077342
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| LC no. |
2002108507 |
| ISBN |
0028643984 |
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