Saving Babylon: The Heart of an Army Interrogator in Iraq [Paperback]

Paul Holton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2005

Saving Babylon is the gripping account of an Army interrogator in the Iraq War. Holton’s techniques, honed over 34 years, got him inside the hearts of Iraqis. He dealt with the best and the worst of Iraqi society on a daily basis. He interrogated Iraqi generals, judges, political candidates, POWs and common crooks. He saw freedom take root.

Holton saw more good being done than the media has ever published or broadcast. It’s time Americans read that side of the story.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A gripping, highly readable and surprising book...An inspiring volume, sure to become a classic" -- Joe Bauman, Deseret News

Compelling...Saving Babylon is a well-written story of a soldier's extraordinary experiences. A must read for every American. -- Joe Weber, New York Times best-selling author

Saving Babylon is a new and refreshing look at the Iraq War. It will open your eyes and your heart. -- Military Writers Society of America, 2005 Readers Choice Award Winner

About the Author

Paul Holton is the founder of Operation Give, a humanitarian organization that ships toys, medicine, and educational supplies to children in war-torn and devastated nations throughout the world.

Many became acquainted with Holton through his detailed and inspiring wartime "blog" on the internet. As a chief warrant officer in the Army National Guard with 34 years of service, he has served as an interrogator and Korean linguist, functioning as an interrogation team chief, interpreter, and debriefer of North Korean defectors He was called to the Middle East in 1991 during Desert Storm, where he interrogated dozens of Iraqis. Saving Babylon recounts his experiences in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the start of the war through the capture of Saddam Hussein.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Perihelion Press (July 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933434007
• ISBN-13: 978-1933434001
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,518,036 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The heart of the Army Interrogator in Iraq, November 25, 2005

By 

Joseph Fabel "Papajoe" (Elk Grove, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Saving Babylon: The Heart of an Army Interrogator in Iraq (Paperback)

A truly motivational presentation by one who experienced the rigors and the challenges of military duty in Iraq. Holton's message is most poignant due to his daily involvement with the Iraqi people whose homeland is undergoing drastic change. Holton's role is to interrogate high ranking Iraqi POW's who run from those who wish to delay the work of rebuilding the shattered country to those who wish to assist positively and constructively in forming a truly functioning and vibrant Iraqi economy and society.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why doesn't the news cover this???, August 7, 2006

By 

Laurie Horrocks (Madison, AL United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Saving Babylon: The Heart of an Army Interrogator in Iraq (Paperback)

My husband and I read this book together and really enjoyed hearing what the news doesn't cover--all the good we are doing in Iraq. There's hope. What we're doing over there is not all in vain.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Award Winning Book!, June 5, 2006

By 

W. H. McDonald Jr. "The American Author Assoc... (Elk Grove, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Saving Babylon: The Heart of an Army Interrogator in Iraq (Paperback)

There are very few books that capture the whole essence of the war going on in Iraq--with all the tribal, religious, historical and cultural divisions that plague the country. "Saving Babylon" is a whole new and most refreshing look at that war and the people who serve there. It will not only open your eyes and your mind but it will also open your heart. The author found a purpose much higher than just conducting war; he tried to make a difference in the lives of those he met there. To that end he was successful!

Author Paul Holton (Better known by many around the world as "Chief Wiggles") writes a memoir of his tour of duty in Iraq, as an interrogator for the U.S. Army, which gives the reader a real inside look at what was and is going on there. He writes about the captured generals that he personally spent months interrogating. More importantly, is the way he does it. As a former soldier, I was pleased to read how Chief Warrant Officer Holton, made it a point to uphold the principles of "The Geneva Conventions of War." He used his personality--not torture or cruel punishments (as we have read so much about in the media) to extract information from POWs. He approached his job as a professional with a humanitarian heart and not just with the POWs but with the children of the country.

The book is a wonderful read for men, women and even for mature children. It is on the MWSA "Top Ten Recommended Reading List" for 2005.

"Chief Wiggles" created a non-profit foundation to bring toys and supplies to those in need inside Iraq. This operation almost cost him his career but in the end, he was even recognized by the President of the United States in a speech at a prayer breakfast. The author writes a great story about his personal experiences; but his example as a humanitarian soldier will be his legacy. I am forever grateful for men like Paul Holton who served and gave so much from their heart. His foundation is called "Operation Give" and can be found on the web at: [...]

The Military Writer's Society of America recognizes Paul Holton's efforts with their "Humanitarian Award for 2005".