Iraq: From Sumer to Saddam - Softcover

Simons, Geoff

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0312160526 ISBN 13: 9780312160524

Publisher: St.Martin's, 1996

Synopsis

This book presents a broad history of Iraq, from the earliest times to the present, with particular attention to the emergence of modern Iraq in the twentieth century, the power struggles that led to the rise of Saddam Hussen, and such recent events as the Iran-Iraq war, the 1990-91 Gulf crisis, and the continuing depiction of Iraq as a 'pariah' nation. Some indication is given of the sufferings of the Iraqi people, not only as victims of a brutal regime but also at the hands of US-led Western governments more concerned with perceived strategic interests than with human welfare. Such crucial factors as the historical Western influence in the Middle East, the prolonged Western support for Saddam and the US manipulation of the United Nations are profiled. Detailed information is included, much of it unsypathetic to western propaganda, to encourage a deeper understanding and a deeper ethical perception of the 'Iraq question'.

About this title

About the Author

GEOFF SIMONS is a prolific author, having written more than fifty books. He has also produced about 200 articles for the general and academic press. His most recent titles include 16 highly-acclaimed books on international politics, including ten on the Middle East and the United Nations. His works are suitable for both a general and specialist readership. Many are on university reading lists and have been translated into a dozen languages, including Arabic, Russian and Japanese.

From Publishers Weekly

Simons's contention that the primary purpose of the 1990-1991 Gulf War was not to expel the Iraqis from Kuwait but to protect U.S. hegemony over oil is familiar, as is his argument that Washington seemed to give Saddam Hussein a green light for the invasion. He quotes ambassador April Glaspie's pre-invasion statement to Saddam, ``we have no opinion on Arab-Arab conflicts like your border disagreement with Kuwait'' and assistant secretary of state John Kelly's declaration a few days later that the U.S. had no commitment to help Kuwait in the event of an Iraqi invasion. The book's principal value is as a short history of the Mesopotamia region from earliest recorded history to the present day, focusing on the emergence of Iraq, the origins of the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War and the methods by which Saddam Hussein consolidated his postwar political power. Simons ( Libya: The Struggle for Survival ) writes of the recent sufferings of the Iraqi people, not only under Saddam's regime but as victims of a decade of war. His shrill eruptions, however, weaken his credibility. He compares Americans with Nazis, characterizes Thomas Jefferson as a man who ``regarded blacks as hybrids between white men and apes'' and accuses Christianity of being ``happy for almost two millenia to tolerate marital rape.''

Copyright 1994 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: St.Martin's
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0312160526
• ISBN 13: 9780312160524
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 464