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Untitled dark brown cloth in the original colour illustrated gilt-titled jacket 22x31cm. Approx (153)pp unnumbered, with parallel texts in English and Arabic, illustrated with captioned colour photos throughout. There are two paintings depicting historic Arab conquests (possibly the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah) to the endpapers. Covers very good with dent to upper board and rubbing to edges, interiors fine, jacket good, worn at the edges with a couple of closed tears. Extremely rare. Undated, c1988 or shortly after. This was probably issued as a show of strength, and a way to reach out to potential new suppliers and joint venture partners around the world (the Ministry's telex, fax, PO Box and Cable details are given inside the jacket's front flap, encouraging contact for more information). It opens with full-page portraits of Saddam Hussein, and HE Hussein Kammil Hassan, Minister of Industry and Military Production. The latter was Saddam Hussein's son-in-law and second cousin. Previously Supervisor of the Republican Guard, he oversaw Iraq's weapons development programmes. His Ministry was formed at the end of the Iran-Iraq War in 1988, with the Military Production Authority, previously known as the State Organisation for Technical Industries, attached to it. The MPA was part of a two-pronged strategy (the other involved importing sophisticated weapons and skills from the USSR and the West). Around 1984, Iraq began to build its own arms industry, buying into foreign companies that specialised in potential dual-use technology with help from investment advisors in Switzerland, France and the UK. After the Iran-Iraq War, this effort was coordinated through the MPA (Jochen Hippler in MERIP 168, 1991). Concerned by the MPA's rapid progress, John T. Haldane criticised the Bush Administration in 1989 for "lack of forward strategic planning evident in its attitude toward Iraq", warning that "The Iraq Military Production Authority has grown into a broad-based consortium capable of manufacturing most types of military equipment. It is believed to be developing a number of advanced weapons, including a ballistic missile" (Christian Science Monitor, 14 Nov). This book opens with a justification, placing the MPA in historic context of weapon making and innovation, as Iraq has always been "subject to the envy and covetous ambitions of other nations" and "constantly under threat". Boasting "the most advanced developments in science and technology", this has enabled Iraq to defend itself "against all enemy attacks to external threats", most evidently "the Arab's second Qadissiyah against the Persians: QADISSIYAT SADDAM". The rest of the book is a catalogue, organised into aerospace industries, weapons, optics, ammunition, aerial bombs, naval mines, chemicals, NBC protection, boats, telecommunications and electronics, and engineering industries. The photos show close up views of each item with specifications. A number are shown in the field, the boats for example, appear to be deployed in the Marshes.
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