EPIC maintains the most up-to-date, comprehensive source of the Best Books on Iraq for elected officials, policy professionals and concerned citizens such as you. Here are our top five “Must Read” books to take to the beach this summer.
(1) Iraq Study Group Report: The Way Forward -- A New Approach, by the Iraq Study Group, James A. Baker III and Lee H. Hamilton (Vintage, 2006, ISBN: 0307386562). Americans are voicing frustration over political gridlock on Iraq, causing both Congress and the President to sink in polls. This makes the bipartisan agreement of the Iraq Study Group Report more vital now than ever. This sobering report should be the foundation for changing U.S. policy in Iraq. More Information | Order It Now
(2) The New Counter-Insurgency Manual, by John A. Nagl, David H. Petraeus, James F. Amos and Sarah Sewall (U. of Chicago Press, 2007, ISBN: 0226841510). The result of unprecedented collaboration among top U.S. military experts, scholars, and practitioners in the field, this manual charts a doctrinal shift from “killing and capturing insurgents” to protecting civilian populations. More Information | Order It Now
(3) The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace, by Ali A. Allawi (Yale U. Press, 2007, ISBN: 0300110154). The only book out right now by an Iraqi government insider, The Occupation of Iraq offers first-hand insight into Iraqi politics and society. Allawi examines what the U.S. did and didn’t know at the time of the invasion, the reasons for confused and contradictory policies, and the emergence of the Iraqi political class and sectarian divisions. More Information | Order It Now
(4) A Poisonous Affair: America, Iraq, and the Gassing of Halabja, by Joost Hiltermann (Cambridge U. Press, 2007, ISBN: 0521876869). A highly-respected scholar and human rights advocate, Hiltermann describes Iraq's amassing of chemical weapons to target Iranian soldiers and Kurdish villagers as America looked the other way. In the struggle for a new equilibrium in the Middle East, Hiltermann explains how these past policies continue haunting the West. More Information | Order It Now
(5) Iraqi Women: Untold Stories from 1948 to the Present, by Nadje al-Ali (Zed Books, 2007, ISBN: 1842777459). The first compilation of true stories about the women of Iraq and the Iraqi Diaspora, Nadje al-Ali’s interviews reveal the crucial roles Iraqi women play in both the political and domestic spheres. More Information | Order It Now
P.S. Who says Iraqi Shias, Sunnis, and Kurds can't work together? Read about how the Iraqi soccer team won the Asia Cup against all odds, and watch the game-winning point on EPIC's Ground Truth Blog!
Okay Geoff, you're pushing it asking us to be reading about Iraq at the beach! Nice try though.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, a number of us are quite aware the news is often attempting to manipulate us.
ReplyDeleteWe wouldn't recommend these books if they weren't good reads. Give one a try. And if you think a manual or report is not exactly beach-reading, check out the "Iraqi Women's Stories," which have a more narrative structure. Fascinating stuff.
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