Bad Days in Basra: My Turbulent Time as Britain's Man in Southern Iraq - Hardcover

Synnott, Hilary

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1845117069 ISBN 13: 9781845117061

Publisher: I.B.Tauris, 2008

Synopsis

The phonecall came from out of the blue, just when Sir Hilary Synnott was looking forward to retirement after helping steer India and Pakistan back from the verge of nuclear war. "It's about Iraq. We need a King of the South..."Bad Days in Basra" is the story of Synnott's time as Britain's most senior representative in Southern Iraq, trying to keep the region together as the rest of the country descended in to murderous violence. By turns wryly comic, revealing and heart-breaking, it offers a never seen before glimpse in to the high politics of the occupation. Shuttling between the gilded palaces of the Green Zone and the leaky outhouses which constituted Coalition HQ in Basra, Synnott had to negotiate his boss, Paul Bremer's brash indifference to what was going outside Baghdad, the indecisiveness of his London masters, and the brutal political realities of a country under occupation.Bearing witness for the first time to the chaotic fashion in which the coalition was run at the highest levels, Synnott's unique insider account is the most important primary source we yet have on how the South was lost.
It offers new insights in to the style and motivations of key characters such as Bremer himself, US commander General David Petraeus and the then UK Foreign Minister Jack Straw. It provides an entertaining and witty portrait of the absurdities of life inside the occupying coalition, a devastating critique of CPA policies and controversial revelations about the real relationship between the two occupying powers, Britain and America.

About this title

About the Author:

Sir Hilary Synnott was the British diplomat responsible for running Southern Iraq for the CPA, reporting directly to Paul Bremer. A source for many newspaper articles and documentaries about Iraq, here he goes on record for the first time about his experiences. He has had a rich and varied career. Before joining the diplomatic service he spent eleven years in the Royal Navy, including five years in submarines as a weapons electrical engineer. He has served as Deputy Head of Mission in Jordan, Deputy High Commissioner to India and High Commissioner to Pakistan, where he won much praise for his role in resolving the India-Pakistan nuclear stand-off of 2002. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the International Institute of Strategic Studies.

Review:

*A compelling picture of the administrative turmoil after Saddam Hussein was ousted. Hilary Synnott was one of a number of resourceful, determined individuals trying to make order out of chaos in the country, and this book gives an illuminating insight into the role of the British contingent in the South-East and its tussles with the centre in Baghdad. Whether you want to enjoy the tragi-comedy of the story or learn the telling lessons from the mistakes, you can have confidence in this shrewd, balanced and authentic account.*- Sir Jeremy Greenstock, former Prime Ministerial Envoy to Iraq

*Unusual, powerful: combining Synnott's experience on the ground with an unusual grasp of what was happening in Washington, London and Baghdad.Clear-eyed, comprehensive, informed by long experience, sensitive to the serious limitations of state-building in the modern age. His voice is at once bold, pragmatic and often very funny* - Rory Stewart, author of Occupational Hazards

*Hilary Synnott was one of the most important players in post 2003 Iraq. He has always chosen to keep a low profile - it is of immense benefit to everyone who cares about Iraq, and the truth about the occupation, that he has finally decided to offer up his testimony, which will be authoritative, and devastating* - Toby Dodge, Queen Mary's College, University of London

''Synnott’s unique insider account is the most important primary source we yet have on how the South was lost...it provides an entertaining and witty portrait of the absurdities of life inside the occupying coalition, a devastating critique of CPA policies and controversial revelations about the real relationship between the two occupying powers, Britain and America.''--Abrar

*Hilary Synnott's ambassadorial account of Bad Days in Basra makes a compelling read.* --Glasgow Herald

*Hilary Synnott's very readable book explains what went wrong in the areas of reconstruction and governance in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Saddam and provides useful lessons for how to do it better next ... Highly recommended.* --The Navel Review

About this edition

• Publisher: I.B.Tauris
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1845117069
• ISBN 13: 9781845117061
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240