The New Iraq [Hardcover]

Joseph Braude (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2003

Iraq is the most ethnically diverse country in the Arab world today. The country's historical transformations have stemmed in part from conflict and contact with newcomers - invaders, itinerant preachers, traders, and refugees - who have each left their own mark and become integrated into Iraq's social fabric. After three major wars, 13 years of sanctions, and the domestic legacy of a police state, the country's isolation has worked to preserve and reinforce an old culture with attitudes and skill sets that other traditional societies would be hard pressed to match. In The New Iraq, Joseph Braude draws upon his deep knowledge of the country's history and people to show how a viable Iraqi economy will liberate its society and thereby transform the Middle East. A new religious establishment that fosters liberalism and interfaith dialogue in the spirit of the creative theosophical debates sponsored by the Caliphs of Baghdad in the 10th Century will promote ideals of coexistence and tolerance in countries that badly need them. By transforming its military from a force that threatens neighboring states into a 21st century army of nation-building and defense, Iraq can provide a model that strengthens security in the region and reduces bloated military budgets that divert public funds from investment in education, health, and industry. A viable Arab government spending less on defense and more on its people will raise expectations among societies-in the Gulf and all over the world-- vis a vis their governments region-wide. Braude challenges all of us, from many countries and walks of life, to take part in facilitating Iraq's reintegration into the global economy. The recipe for a prosperous new Iraq will marry the external demands of the global marketplace with an internal reappropriation of the unique attributes of Iraqi civilization.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book's many vignettes of daily life will be engrossing for U.S. readers curious about this undiscovered country." -- Salte.com

"[An] important book" -- The Tampa Tribune

About the Author

As senior analyst for the Middle East and North Africa at a Massachusetts-based consulting firm, 28-year-old Joseph Braude advises Arab communications companies, vendors, and governments. He runs a tri-lingual Middle Eastern online news service based in Amman, Jordan.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; First Edition edition (March 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465007880
• ISBN-13: 978-0465007882
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,090,126 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-Opening, Sobering, and Inspiring, March 25, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The New Iraq (Hardcover)

I saw Mr. Braude on the Today Show and immediately purchased his new book, which is a true gem. "The New Iraq" is informative, lyrical, and imaginative all at once. We have so little knowledge of Iraq or its people beyond the name "Saddam Hussein" - and this book more than fills in our knowledge gap.

The opening section on "Memory" is a succinct account of Iraqi history, told through music, religion, and culture. The section includes unique coverage of Iraqi pop songs and Braude's encounter with an Iraqi spy over dinner in Tehran. The following section, "Power," envisions positive roles for ex-Ba'ath Party members ("The Party's Over" is one chapter's sharp title), the religious establishment, and the Iraqi army. "Money" offers a fascinating view of current industry, commerce, advertising, and social status in Iraq - full of data and vivid vignettes, including profiles of "Cats of the Embargo", smugglers who've hit it big under sanctions.

But my favorite section is the last one on "Truth" - how to jumpstart a free press, a fair legal system, a non-fascist education system, and even the Iraqi film industry. Don't miss an incredible account of Iraqi anime movies.

Throughout, Braude displays humor, optimism, and imagination, but also a profoundly sober realism about how genuine transformation of Iraq will likely take generations. In all, there is no book like this one, with its balanced political tone, its deft combination of business and culture, and its insight culled from unearthed nuggets of daily life in Iraq.

I hope every American soldier, diplomat, reporter -- and TV watcher -- reads this book. With it, we will be better informed and more humane partners in the rebuilding of Iraq.

24 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Looter's memoir, August 4, 2004

By 

Henry James (US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Iraq (Hardcover)

There are reports that Mr. Braude pleaded guilty to looting the Iraqi artifacts. Amazon.com would better investigate this and stop distributing his volume.

timesdaily.com, 08/03/04: An expert on Iraq's postwar reconstruction has pleaded guilty to smuggling 4,000-year-old artifacts looted from the country's national museum after the U.S. invasion.

Joseph Braude, 29, pleaded guilty Tuesday, two days into his trial on charges of smuggling and making false statements to customs agents. He could be sentenced to up to 16 months in prison.

Braude studied Near Eastern languages at Yale University and Arabic and Islamic history at Princeton University before publishing "The New Iraq: Rebuilding the Country for Its People, the Middle East and the World" last year.

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The New Iraq - A Dynamic and Inspiring Read; Witty and Lucid, April 1, 2003

By 

"eroberts78184" (MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Iraq (Hardcover)

I highly recommend The New Iraq by Joseph Braude. The book is well-written, well-researched, fun to read, and visionary. Very few books on the Middle East dare to offer an optimistic vision of "what could be."

Mr. Braude, an Iraqi-American, gives the reader an uplifting portrait (with some caveats) of the history and culture of Iraq. In sections entitled Memory, Power, Money, and Truth, he outlines in eleven chapters how religious, civil, cultural, and economic institutions can be revived and harnessed in Iraq to help turn the country into a progressive, pluralistic beacon in the Middle East. From his riveting discussion of the rough-and-tumble business practices of Iraqis during sanctions, to his vision of an ecumenical Iraq where religions and sects co-exist, to his brilliant essay on Iraqi films and the importance of the upcoming Iraqi cultural renaissance, The New Iraq shines.

Unlike other authors of Iraq and Middle Eastern books, Braude actually speaks the languages of the region fluently and has a deep knowledge of the literature and culture of Iraq. It shows in The New Iraq. I second other readers who particularly treasure the final section of the book, "Truth," as its chapters contains some of the most interesting and passionate writing about Iraqi society around.

Braude's voice is a welcome addition to the dialogue about Iraq and the Middle East.

James Woolsey, former director of the CIA, endorses The New Iraq on the back cover as "a superb guide for the rebirth of the great civilization of Iraq by one who knows the country, its history, and its culture intimately. It's all here: how to resuscitate the judicial system, the army, the economy even the cinema. Lucid balanced and wise." I couldn't agree more.

And, on the liberal side of the spectrum, Village Voice columnist Nat Hentoff writes in praise of Joseph Braude's The New Iraq, "For all the continuing debate about the dangerous present and indeterminate future of Iraq, there has been no analysis of that nation's history and actual potential for transformation into a just society that comes close to Joseph Braude's crucially illuminating book, The New Iraq. He is a scholar, a humanist, and a realist." Hentoff's remark is right on target. Chapter after chapter, Braude dazzles readers with his humor and insight into the dynamics of Iraqi society through the stories of living, breathing Iraqis. In many ways, this is a book for our time.