"Anyone who thinks that Iraq has no history of democratic government needs to read this book immediately."
Choice "We are fortunate to have scholars, such as Adeed Dawisha, who continue to grapple with Iraq's political complexities... A highly accessible and insightful work on one of the most important and complex countries in the Middle East."
Eric Davis, Middle East Journal "Dawisha's ... ... Read morereliance on the many memoirs, monographs, and histories written by Iraqis themselves, plus his own intimate knowledge of Iraq in its domestic, regional, and international setting, makes for a fine (if disheartening) study of abortive state building."
L. Carl Brown, Foreign Affairs "Dawisha has only the worst superlatives for Saddam's tyrannical regime... And yet we should not give up on Iraq, for Dawisha doesn't. He never loses his calm or objectivity."
Robert D. Kaplan, National Interest "This book should be required reading for all those involved in building a brighter future for Iraq."
Alison Webster, European Legacy "Adeed Dawisha's well-written and flowing book makes an important contribution to understanding the complex history of Iraq... Dawisha's approach indeed provides a multidimensional, complex, and nuanced picture of the development of Iraq... Dawisha's important book is recommended for anyone who is interested in the comprehensive view of Iraqi history or for anyone who is interested in Middle Eastern affairs and history."
Michael Eppel, Historian Show Less