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230 of 252 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Explosive revelations - a riveting read!, January 25, 2006
Without exaggeration, I must say that this may be the most important book of the year. Why would I make such a strong claim? Read on....
Author Georges Sada was that rare honest Iraqi government insider during Saddam Hussein's reign who was tolerated despite his candor ... in fact, he even gained Saddam's trust, even though he frequently bucked the will of the iron-fisted dictator. In General Sada's unique position, he was able to observe some of the worst of Saddam's behavior and trickery and confirms in this book not only the existence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), but also the extraordinary lengths that Saddam went to hide these weapons. He blows the cover off of the United Nations officials and their craven and corrupt complicity in Hussein's schemes to hide his own murderous intents while lining their own pockets.
As one reads, one has the sense that General Sada is a loyal Iraqi who loves his nation and his countrymen, who writes out of a sense of grief, anger, and alarm over what Saddam perpetrated. Sada's book is a timely warning against complacency towards the terrorist insurgents who would do all they could to neuter America, enslave the Middle East, and cannibalize Iraq. For all of those who have naively and ignorantly bleated about the "lack of WMDs" or America's "phony" reasons for going to war, this book is a real shocker ... a much-needed wake-up call ... a painful, but potentially life-saving eye-opener.
I hope that Joel Stein, the LA TIMES columnist who confesses to "not supporting our troops" will read a copy of this book immediately. Again, I cannot adequately convey the sense of urgency I feel about the importance of this book. Read it for yourself and see what I am talking about.
One interesting note: as a Christian, General Sada was in a tiny minority among Saddam's inner circle, surrounded by Iraqi leaders who cynically and callously used Islam as a mask for their own twisted and sadistic ends. Writing as a man of faith, Sada has the unique ability to draw hope and redemption out of difficult and tragic circumstances. Far from being depressing, this book is ultimately uplifiting and hopeful.
As others have noted, there is growing evidence from many sources to verify General Sada's claims. Of particular note are tapes of more than 3,000 hours of Saddam Hussein meeting with his war cabinet and millions of pages of documents that contain vital information about Saddam's WMD program and plans for transporting the WMDs out of the country in order to dupe the weapons inspectors....
American and world citizens must demand that these tapes and documents be immediately released, translated, and analyzed in their entirety. So many politicians and media "experts" have staked their careers on a lie: "No WMDs existed." It's time for the truth to come out and for the problem to be resolved. The world will not get a second chance.
Thanks, General Sada, for having the courage and integrity to write such an important, informative, and ultimately redemptive book.
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50 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Faith and truth in Iraq, February 8, 2006
This book offers a combination of current events, an insider's knowledge of the mind and workings of a ruthless dictator, and the moving story of a Christian Daniel in a hostile lion's den. As such it makes for compelling reading.
Georges Sada was a two-star general in Saddam's military. But he was no ordinary Iraqi military leader. He was an Assyrian, not an Arab. He was a Christian, not a Muslim. Nor was he a member of the ruling Baath party. Yet in spite of his minority status, he quickly rose through the ranks of the military. And his role there was to in fact help change the course of history.
The rise of Sada through the military, his many standoffs with Saddam Hussein (Saddam once told him he had defied him 17 times - he had kept count), his personal intervention to save the lives of 40 coalition pilots taken prisoner during the first Gulf War, and his current work as advisor to the new Iraq are all covered here in depth.
All these features alone make the book a must read. But because of his privileged position inside the top ranks of the Iraqi military, he is also able to shed new light on much debated recent events. For example, what of the weapons of mass destruction that so many critics have claimed never existed? Well they existed alright, and Sada tells us in detail how the were hidden, covered up, and eventually smuggled into Syria.
He also gives us an insider's account of the oil-for food program. This program was a monumental disaster, with UN corruption equaling that of the dictator. The program simply allowed Saddam to siphon off nearly $2 billion for himself, while leaving the Iraqi people starving.
Then there is the controversy about the invasion of Iraq itself. Sada makes it absolutely clear that this was a most necessary and most welcomed liberation. Iraq under Saddam had become hell, with millions killed and tortured, and the power-hungry ego of Saddam would not have rested till he had mastery over the entire Arab world and had procured and used nuclear weapons to impose his will.
Indeed, Sada says the coalition should have finished off the job during the first Gulf War, saving countless lives and freeing Iraq from the hands of this madman. Unfortunately the Iraqi people had to wait another 12 years, and suffer many more horrors.
All the grizzly details are found in this book: how Saddam deliberately built military command bunkers in secure structures below civilian bunkers, so that civilians would be killed and serve his propaganda purposes. How he bribed many overseas journalists and media personal to tell his version of events. How he would personally watch, and enjoy, the torture and death of his enemies, even suspected enemies.
The bribing and corruption of UN officials is also told in sickening detail. UN members who were meant to be monitoring this whole program were instead taking kickbacks and raking in billions of dollars for themselves, while oil flowed out of the country illegally. The corruption reached to the highest levels at the UN, and Sada believes that one day the oil-for-food program will "prove to be the biggest bribery scheme in modern times".
The book concludes with the many good things that are happening in the new Iraq, good things that rarely get mentioned in the mainstream media. For forty years Iraqis have known only fear, terror, hatred and bitterness. What Iraq needs now is love and forgiveness. And the life of Sada has been an example of that.
This book then is a powerful volume: it highlights both the depravity and goodness of mankind. And its shows how one person can make a difference, not just in one nation but in the world.
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118 of 134 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A MUST READ!!!!!!!, January 27, 2006
General Sada was Saddam Hussein's top military advisor, a devout Christian in an anti Christian country, and a great man. General Georges Sada shares his life story with us and it is riveting. Sada tells us of the military secrets he was asked to keep. Secrets that only those closest to Saddam would know. He shows us just how close we were to World War 3; when he talked Saddam out of hitting Israel with a massive Chemical weapon air strike. The general know it would lead to an Nuclear counter attack by Israel. He also talks about those Weapons of Mass Destruction and he tells us, YES they existed, and that they were taking out of Iraq to Syria in two airplane shipments (he details the plans used etc.,) and also in one land shipment (in semi trucks). General Sada shows us how Syria went from being an enemy of Iraq to a an friend, he shows us the why's and how's. The book is also a spiritual journey for the general and, a warning to the west. It is a great read and I think a must read. I highly recommend it.
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