Saddam Hussein and the Crisis in the Gulf [Paperback]

Judith Miller (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait will undoubtedly spawn numerous books on Iraq and its enigmatic president. This "instant" book written in 21 days by Miller ( New York Times ) and Mylroie (Harvard Univ.) attempts to combine historical analysis with timely journalistic reporting to provide the general reader with an informed analysis of the current crisis in the Gulf. The authors describe Saddam Hussein's meteoric rise to power in a lucid and easy-to-follow style. Although this book is recommended for general readers and public libraries, those interested in a more in-depth study of today's Iraq should consult Sad dam's Iraq: Revolution or Reaction? (Zed Bks., 1989) by the Committee Against Repression and for Democratic Rights in Iraq.
- Nader Entessar, Spring Hill Coll., Mobile, Ala.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; 1st edition (October 13, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812919211
• ISBN-13: 978-0812919219
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,035,112 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Middle East > Iraq

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars illuminating account of historical importance, May 27, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Saddam Hussein and the Crisis in the Gulf (Paperback)

Everyone who wants to understand why the war in Iraq happened should read this book and think about it very carefully. Dr. Mylroie, trained as a political scientist, is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, the thinktank that has most influenced the George W. Bush administration. Miller wrote for the New York Times, with all the prestige that this brought to her byline. (As this review goes to press, she continues to work for the NYT, though for how much longer is anyone's guess).

Dr. Mylroie's later book, Study of Revenge: Saddam Hussein's Unfinished War Against America (American Enterprise Institute Press, 2000)-- published in paperback as The War Against America (HarperCollins, 2001)-- was perhaps even more influential than this earlier co-production with Miller.

But by understanding the relationship and cooperation between the two writers-- Mylroie the expert and Miller the scribe, we get a full understanding of how ideas and information are created and diffused in Republican Washington. Key policy-makers like Paul Wolfowitz and Douglas Feith, perhaps even Donald Rumsfeld himself, apparently believed Mylroie's certifiably nutcase theories that Saddam Hussein was personally responsible for everything from 9/11 to the Oklahoma City bombing, notwithstanding all the overwhelming contrary evidence. And by sharing her expertise with the journalist Miller (presumably in the form of leaks), Mylroie and her colleagues at the AEI succeeded in communicating her tinfoil hat conspiracy delusions to the whole world, all with the imprimatur of the New York Times. When the history of the Bush II administration is written, Mylroie and Miller will take a prominant place as key inspirations behind the most ill-conceived war of the last 100 years.

So for all you political scientists slaving away at scholarly monographs, never quite sure whether your ideas will make any real impact on policy-makers, this book should give you hope. If this little book-- written in only 21 days-- could bring about the worst military and political fiasco of modern times, your work too may someday have a chance to change history. Soldier on, you underappreciated academics!

8 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 1990 pre-Desert Storm Look at Saddam, October 28, 2002

By 

Maximillian Ben Hanan (Sacramento, California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saddam Hussein and the Crisis in the Gulf (Paperback)

Saddam Hussein has become one of the most well-known figures in the Arab world. Unfortunately for him, it's because he's notorious. This little 1990 book (268 pages with intro, bibliography, appendixes, etc.) was published as an inexpensive trade paperback before the world's campaign to remove Saddam Hussein from Kuwait (1991).

While the book is very dated (12 years ago as of 2002), the information regarding Saddam Hussein's rise to power and the history of Iraq from its' creation by the British is still very valid. While I find it a little difficult to read about some of the things that Saddam Hussein had done, I feel much better informed about him and will be ready with facts next time his name comes up at the lunch table at work.

The book is divided into 11 helpful chapters that cover just about anything someone would want to know about Iraq and the events that eventually led to Desert Storm. It is a well- supported novel with several appendixes with maps, bibliographies, a Human Rights report, and other useful information. The authors are from The New York Times newspaper and Harvard University so it would be a good assumption that they don't hesitate to criticize President Bush's 1990 US government. While they criticize the government, I don't think they overdo it and I don't think they would upset a genuine US patriot.

Another good novel to read, in this vein, is "Saddam Hussein: A Political Biography" by Efraim Karsh.

CONCLUSION:

A great inexpensive novel to learn more about Saddam Hussein and Iraq. Recommended.