Iraq: Reading list Part Uno

[LorSpi]

The ones in blue I have read.

The Assassins' Gate : America in Iraq

Tell Them I Didn't Cry : A Young Journalist's Story of Joy, Loss, and Survival in Iraq

Inside Iraq: The History, the People, and the Modern Conflicts of the World's Least Understood Land

Night Draws Near : Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War

Night Draws Near : Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War

The Sling and the Stone: On War in the 21st Century

Cruelty and Silence: War, Tyranny, Uprising, and the Arab World

Revolt on the Tigris: The Al-Sadr Uprising and the Governing of Iraq

One Weekend a Month

Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife : Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam

A Modern History of the Kurds : Third Edition

The Shi'is of Iraq

Republic of Fear: The Politics of Modern Iraq, Updated Edition

From Beirut to Jerusalem

The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization

Tactics of the Crescent Moon: Militant Muslim Combat Methods

Not a Good Day to Die : The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda
********************************
The Assassins' Gate : America in Iraq

This was suggested as the one book to read if there was no time to read any other. Gives a good overview - but Idiot Warning. The writer - a "journalist" for The New Yorker - while good at blow by blow description, is carrying so much baggage that he needs 6 Sherpas. He actually complains because Bremer did not sit down and shoot the breeze with him for hours like all the really nice Iraqi insurgents do. This book is a show case for his ignorance and ego. He does have a damn good eye and can write. The advice was good - great opening for today and now.
************************************

Inside Iraq: The History, the People, and the Modern Conflicts of the World's Least Understood Land

This is short, sweet - and a collection of writings pre-invasion. Guess what? All these folks who are demanding that the US get out of Iraq? - They're here demanding the US get in. Kinda of like those movies where the protagonist can't remember what happened yesterday - like amnesia, Dude and Dudette.

*******************************************
Tell Them I Didn't Cry : A Young Journalist's Story of Joy, Loss, and Survival in Iraq

Wah wah wah - chickie baby reporter for big name paper who is a twin (Dude - like deja vu! But this is the Washington post hiring dumb and dumber bimbette twin sister. Not the CSM. Too hilarious!) Clueless without the shopping malls. The Iraqis love her like a sister. REALLY! Of course what those guys do to their sisters.....

**************************************
Night Draws Near : Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War

Another WP reporter whose shtick is that he is an ARAB-American who can actually SPEAK Arabic. If you really want to know what the Iraqis are REALLY thinking - then you are making mistake number one by assuming they can think. This book clearly demonstrates they cannot.

*********************************
Night Draws Near : Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War

This Iraqi was denouncing Saddam Hussein from the beginning and appears prominently in Assassin's Gate. He came back to Iraq after the invasion - then ran back to the US shortly after meeting with fellow Iraqis. The book details the atrocities committed - but is a difficult read because of its unending verbiage and intellectual masturbation. I'm still plowing through it.


Anyone wants authors, etc let me know.

More later......

[Merceditas]

Thanks, Lor.

Where were these books recommended from?

I just picked up "Relentless Pursuit" by Samuel M. Katz and "From Babel to Dragomans, Interpreting the Middle East" by Bernard Lewis. They were in the sale section of Barnes and Noble. I haven't started reading them yet, are you familiar with either of them?

[LorSpi]

merceditas said:

Thanks, Lor.

Where were these books recommended from?

I just picked up "Relentless Pursuit"; by Samuel M. Katz and "From Babel to Dragomans, Interpreting the Middle East" by Bernard Lewis. They were in the sale section of Barnes and Noble. I haven't started reading them yet, are you familiar with either of them?

Bernard Lewis is one of the best known names in the field. Well respected. I've read some of his work. He's a "forest" guy. I'm looking for "tree" writers.

Diplomatic Security - those are our guys. I hear the juice first hand.

The book suggestions are coming from the person I'm replacing as well as a couple of guys working different "desks" - our folks who liaison between post and DC. They are the ones funneling the news that eventually end up in daily briefings - up to the big guy. A couple (Tactics of the Crescent Moon: Militant Muslim Combat Methods, Not a Good Day to Die : The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda ) are ones I've picked up from outside suggestions. I have a couple of more to add.

Anne Singleton's "Saddam's Private Army"
Roy Motaheddeh's "The Mantle of the Prophet"

These are suggested readings on the Mujaheddin-e-Khalq - the Iranian terrorist group based in Iraq.

So - how's life with Pat home?

[Merceditas]

Lewis........a forest writer....lol! True, he does kind of cover the whole concept, psychological issues and all. Some of his other books I've found helpful, in a general sort of way.

I found it interesting that some of your reading list comes from journalists. Are reporters becoming the present day historians?

It's very, very nice not to be worrying about Pat, as I see I was (as much as I tried not to).

He (and his older brother) have both surprised me a bit with their views on politics and the war. I have to talk to Pat more (but Greg has a liberal girlfriend now, so...), but the little we've touched on the subject of the war, he sure has different views than I do. I'm still not sure where they come from and why though.

He's kind of a whirlwind.......lots of energy, has to be out with friends doing something, can't sit still for long. This is good though, it's normal for him. lol! I suppose if I take him out for dinner, I'll get some quality time alone with him to just talk.

[LorSpi]

I need a snapshot of what is going on now. A good journalist describes accurately details. Historians will come along and put them into some sort of perspective later. I need to have a sense of hot topics as well as background. I have been asked - so what do you think will happen - before. It helps to know what the hell just happened, has it happened before and the resulting actions, who the players are and their history, and the relative "weight" of the topic. For instance - students riot in the spring. So here it is spring in Paris - and lo and behold: rioting students! Why don't they riot in the summer? Because they are at home with mummy and poppy about to head off to the shore. When they riot in December or August you can start to worry. That kind of info.

For instance - this latest from Egypt's Mubarak about the Shiites aligning with Iran. Not an insight - an insult. He's calling Iraqi Shiites nothing more than Persian pigs pretending to be Arabs. Not real Arabs who are, with the noticeable except of Iraqis, Sunnis. Iraq is where civilization predates Egyptian contributions to the topic. So - this is yet another pissing contest among folks who still haven't figured out the liability of pissing into the wind.

I'd love to know Pat's take on the whole business. A suggestion - get him to take you to some sort of event that involves walking and talking, with a meal as a sideline. It's getting to be the time of year when all sorts of festivals and shows and whatevers happen.

[LorSpi]

Revolt on the Tigris: The Al-Sadr Uprising and the Governing of Iraq

Very interesting account from the Brits POV. A civilian - with military background (former paratrooper) including an education at Sandhurst - he "assumed governorship" of Wasit Province in 2003. Good details about the immediate aftermath of the invasion and the conditions that led to the uprising.

This guy never met an American stereotype he wouldn't repeat. I think he's gay the way he goes on endlessly about how every American he meets (including his deputy) reminds him of some lean and laconic cowboy taming the frontier. Get along lil doggie! He also spends waaaay too much time mining naval lint - his angst, his doubts, the failure of his government to give him his due, the way his lean, laconic deputy's ass looks when he walks into the sunset... His description of the alacrity of the retreat of Ukrainian troops assigned to defend Kut only reinforces the pitfalls of erstwhile allies. I'm told he still is in Iraq.

*******************************************

Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife : Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam

I do recommend this one. While I may want to nitpick certain parts, overall this is an excellent book . It examines why the British army succeeded in its mission in Malaya while the US army failed in its mission in Vietnam. And lessons learned appear to be directly applicable to the US's current policy in Iraq. The person who recommended this book made a point to note that COIN was the key to current thinking (I had asked for mil speak reading and he was the contact).

Lessons learned - stay the hell away from large military presence and use of massive firepower; define your goals in terms of the locals - local police, local military, local government. Listen to the soldiers (here the emphasis is on officer corps) and respond to their assessment of ground situations. The military higher ups are the last folks who should be running a counter-insurgency. And civilian leaders are key to the success. Carpet bombing is bad and ineffectual. Presence of large number of foreign troops and no local troops (or police) is bad bad bad. High praise for the Marines and their programs in Vietnam btw. The US military High Command in Vietnam is held directly responsible for their failure in Vietnam. And American political leaders are criticized for listening to those military commanders.

Again - I have objections to certain parts and assumptions in this book. But overall an excellent read. The author did serve in in Iraq btw (Sept 2003-Sept 2004) and comments on the relevance of his analysis in a new preface 'Spilling Soup on Myself".

[Merceditas]

Thanks Lor.

Sounds like you've been busy.