The author, an analyst of the Middle East and Iraq in particular for the CIA and the National Security Council over the past 15 years, lays out the case for dumping sanctions, inspections, and just waiting out Saddam, and attacking Iraq now. Though the other tactics worked more or less for a time, the threat posed by Saddam Hussein now and in the near future can only be dealt with by force, according to Pollack. His mid-2002 book is particularly useful in laying out the greater geopolitical context, especially the motivations and capabilities of Iraq's neighbors and some of the U.S. allies that have more recently been opposed to armed intervention. After laying out the history of Iraq, Saddam's career, and the larger context, Pollack seems to rush though the consequences of invasion and the supposed cost of rebuilding the country and its government. But whether one is inclined to agree with him or not, this is an illuminating book for a troubled time.
Click here to see the rest of this review...
The review of this Book prepared by David Loftus
