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Title: The Reckoning: Iraq and the Legacy of Saddam Hussein by Sandra MacKey ISBN: 0-393-32428-1 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: April, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.65 (20 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Probing the Complexities of Iraqi History and Policy
Comment: The Reckoning rates as indispensable reading and study for all students, policy analysts and makers, military leaders, and anyone interested in Iraq's historical basis and future development. Mackey begins with the ancient history of Mesopotamia and quickly transitions through to contemporary policy. She includes an afterword written on Christmas Day of 2002, with the winds of war billowing from Washington. Her detailed account of Saddam's legacy and struggle provides valuable insight to anyone with an interest in the region. Although she prescribes no policy recommendations for the future of Iraq, her final words remain an issue the U.S. continues to struggle with today. "To what extent was the U.S. going to be pulled into the abyss of Iraq?" This book provides a fantastic foundation to understand the formation and development of the Iraqi state before and during Hussein's reign.
My one critique: the book provides valuable insight into the complexities of Iraq and how the state became that way, but Mackey does not attempt to break new ground. She proposes no new policies to help future administrations, nor strategies to help military leaders, NGOs, diplomats or others attempting to negotiate the pitfalls of the region. Regardless, I am better off for having read the book, and the author presents plenty of detailed research. Her selected bibliography provides the reader with numerous sources, scholarly and otherwise. Some military units preparing to deploy to Iraq have bought every key leader a copy of Mackey's book. Those leaders will be much better prepared to understand the quagmire they are about to enter, regardless of whether they know what strategies to pursue.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in understanding the region or the news better.
Rating: 5
Summary: A must-read for American politicians
Comment: In The Reckoning, author Sandra Mackey gives us a historical and current view of the nation of Iraq. By doing so, she points out that any attempt at governance will be met with fierce opposition from diverse groups that were, more or less, randomly placed together.
The book begins with the creation of the state of Iraq, which I found is not an Iraqi creation. The name is not even an Iraqi creation. From the book, the British organized the areas of Basra, Baghdad, and Mosul into what we know of as Iraq. Every leader since the creation of the state has struggled to build a state where all the different groups think of themselves as Iraqi.
Oil made the Iraqi state successful. Saddam Hussein and his party moved in power to benefit from that wealth, but they realized quickly that for them to maintain control, they have to be ruthless. Saddam has a long history of this.
After reading this book, the articles I read in the newspaper and the news segments I see on TV make more sense to me. I would highly recommend reading this book. This is a very enlightening read.
Rating: 4
Summary: Succinct yet detailed
Comment: The map on page 53 shows the territoral extent of the Abbasid dynasty, 750 C.E., including Moorish Spain. In 750 C.E. Spain was under the Umayyads that had left Damascus. Jerusalem was known as Iliya (Aelia Capitolina) in 750 C.E. It became Al Quds in the 11th C. C.E.
I did not see any mention in the text of the British Mandate petroleum pipeline that ran from Iraq to Haifa as late as 1948.
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Title: The Iranians: Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation by Sandra MacKey ISBN: 0452275636 Publisher: Plume Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 1998 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom, Updated Edition by Sandra MacKey ISBN: 0393324176 Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: A History of Iraq by Charles Tripp ISBN: 052152900X Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 27 May, 2002 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
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Title: Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph by T. E. Lawrence ISBN: 0385418957 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 01 July, 1991 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Persian Pilgrimages: Journeys Across Iran by Afshin Molavi ISBN: 0393051196 Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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