Iraq: Its History, People, and Politics

There's certainly a need for a book exploring Iraqi history, but this collection of essays, edited by Inati, a professor of Islamic philosophy and theology at Villanova University, is occasionally tendentious and jingoistic. Some of the pieces detail interesting and little-known information on Baghdad's golden age during the Middle Ages and contemporary Iraqi art (pictorial examples are included). Although written by academics with good credentials, some pieces seem directed at fostering Iraqi pride--the country is constantly referred to as a""cradle of civilization"" and, more surprisingly, as""tolerant."" One article mentions that Jews emigrated en masse from Iraq in the 1950s without exploring why (on the other hand, it does point out that Iraqi Jews are proud of their Iraqi heritage). When the lens is focused on contemporary politics, the pieces can become blatantly biased. One concludes that""Iraqi society is remarkably resilient and will endure,"" even though many are convinced that only Saddam's brutal policies keep the nation together. Articles on environmental degradation, the status of women and economics focus on the effects of UN sanctions, without mentioning Saddam Hussein's impact on those topics. His less than admirable environmental record, for instance, has been detailed in the media and in other books. And not one essay is devoted to the details of Saddam's dictatorial regime, while U.S. actions in the region receive an entire section laden with emotional rhetoric. Those looking to learn more about Iraq deserve far better than this apparently politically motivated book.