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Book Details
Abstract
The ruins of ancient Babylon still stand in Iraq. They are a reminder that today's conflict is only one of many that have engulfed the country, and the wider Middle East, over the centuries.
John Cooley, a former correspondent for ABC News and the Christian Science Monitor, argues that America's new invasion and occupation of Iraq marks a turning point in the West's relationship with the Arab world, and alters the balance of power within the Middle East. He argues that the crucial factor in this new development is the relationship between Israel and the United States. Examining today's problems from this unique perspective, Cooley covers a broad sweep of history, from biblical Babylonian times until now. He shows how US and Israeli interests in the Middle East were contradictory at first. He explains how and why the US-Israel alliance gradually evolved.
Drawing from unpublished sources, as well as from John Cooley's personal encounters with principal players such as David ben-Gurion, the Shah of Iran, Anwar al-Sadat, King Hussein of Jordan and Saddam Hussein himself, this book gives a uniquely valuable perspective on the complex history of Iraq and why it continues to be at the heart of world affairs.
'A major contribution to scholarship'
Ray Close
'Uncovers the truth about the west's creation of the extreme forces that attacked the US on 9/11. Much needed and brilliant'
John Pilger
'The Iraq war is unintelligible without the history John Cooley's brave new book provides'
Brady Kiesling
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contents | vii | ||
| Foreword | xi | ||
| Introduction | 1 | ||
| 1. The Babylonian Heritage | 7 | ||
| ANCESTRAL MEMORIES | 8 | ||
| CAPTIVES OF BABYLON | 9 | ||
| BABYLON REBUILT? | 11 | ||
| THE MOTHER OF ALL HARLOTS | 13 | ||
| THE JEWISH EXILES | 14 | ||
| A SHRINE RESTORED | 16 | ||
| “SEEK THE PEACE OF THE CITY” | 17 | ||
| OTTOMAN POWER DECLINES | 18 | ||
| 2. The Ottoman Empire Divided | 23 | ||
| ANTECEDENTS OF WAR | 25 | ||
| BRITAIN CAPTURES BAGHDAD | 27 | ||
| BETRAYAL IN THE LEVANT | 29 | ||
| ENTER THE U.S. | 30 | ||
| THE HASHEMITES ARRIVE | 32 | ||
| DIVIDING THE OILY SPOILS | 34 | ||
| WILSON OPENS DOORS | 35 | ||
| PALESTINE TO CENTER STAGE | 37 | ||
| 3. “Operation Ezra and Nehemiah”: | 40 | ||
| A GUIDED TOUR | 40 | ||
| JEWISH SURVIVORS | 43 | ||
| INDEPENDENCE ... SORT OF | 46 | ||
| VIOLENCE AND RESCUE | 47 | ||
| WHEELING, DEALING, AND MISHAPS | 49 | ||
| “ARAB” JEWS WHO MADE IT | 52 | ||
| WHOSE TERRORISM? | 54 | ||
| 4. Iraq Enters the Palestine Arena | 59 | ||
| THE ROOTS OF ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE | 60 | ||
| RESISTING THE BRITISH | 62 | ||
| THE ARABS PREPARE FOR WAR | 63 | ||
| IRAQ FIGHTS THE NEW ISRAELI STATE | 66 | ||
| STALEMATE AND ISRAELI VICTORY | 68 | ||
| ARMISTICE AGREEMENTS—MINUS IRAQ | 71 | ||
| BEN-GURION SPEAKS | 74 | ||
| 5. Ménage à Quatre: The U.S., Israel, Iran, and the Iraqi Kurds | 76 | ||
| THE KURDS’ FADED DREAMS | 77 | ||
| THE KURDS’ NEW FRIENDS: THE STATE OF | 79 | ||
| KASSEM CONTRA KURDS | 81 | ||
| THE ISRAELI–KURDISH HONEYMOON | 83 | ||
| UNCLE SAM’S ROLE | 85 | ||
| THE NIXON–KISSINGER–SHAH AXIS | 86 | ||
| THE OIL EQUATION | 88 | ||
| IRAQ AND THE KURDS IN THE COLD WAR | 89 | ||
| 6. How the CIA Gave Saddam a Leg Up | 93 | ||
| KASSEM, NASSER, AND SADDAM | 94 | ||
| JAMES CRITCHFIELD: COLD WARRIOR PAR | 96 | ||
| THE FIRST BA’ATHIST COUP | 98 | ||
| ANGLO-AMERICAN COOPERATION | 99 | ||
| SADDAM’S SWAY BEGINS | 101 | ||
| IRAQ’S STRATEGIC THREAT TO ISRAEL | 104 | ||
| IRAQ IN THE 1967 WAR | 106 | ||
| 7. Saddam’s Reign (I): Business With the U.S.; warfare with Israel | 110 | ||
| U.S. BUSINESS AND SADDAM’S TRIUMPH | 110 | ||
| THE JULY BA’ATHIST TAKEOVER | 112 | ||
| PROGRAMS AND POWER STRUGGLES | 114 | ||
| ISRAEL’S COVERT WAR ON SADDAM | 116 | ||
| THE MIG-21 CAPER | 119 | ||
| SADDAM’S REAL AND IMAGINED FOES | 122 | ||
| SADDAM AND THE PALESTINIANS | 123 | ||
| BLACK SEPTEMBER IN JORDAN | 125 | ||
| SYRIA REPULSED; IRAQ WITHDRAWS | 128 | ||
| 8. Saddam’s Reign (II): Power Plays and war, 1970-80 | 133 | ||
| THE REASSURANCE OF U.S. AID | 134 | ||
| SADAT PLANS FOR WAR | 135 | ||
| ISRAEL’S “CONCEPT” | 136 | ||
| U.S. COMPLACENCY AND THE “OIL WEAPON” | 138 | ||
| ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE FAILURE | 140 | ||
| IRAQ TO THE RESCUE OF SYRIA | 142 | ||
| SADDAM GETS A BREATHER | 144 | ||
| SADDAM CLAMPS DOWN—AND SEEKS TOTAL | 145 | ||
| THE DOWNFALL OF BAQR | 147 | ||
| A “CYNICAL EMBRACE” | 151 | ||
| SADDAM ATTACKS IRAN | 152 | ||
| 9. Saddam’s Reign (III): Defeat and Defiance, 1980-90 | 154 | ||
| ISRAEL, IRANGATE, AND THE IRAN–IRAQ WAR | 155 | ||
| THE OSIRAK CAPER | 159 | ||
| RETRIBUTION FOR INMAN | 162 | ||
| TILTING TOWARD SADDAM | 163 | ||
| REAGAN, RUMSFELD, AND SADDAM | 166 | ||
| ISRAEL’S OIL CONCERNS | 166 | ||
| WESTERN ARMS FOR IRAQ | 168 | ||
| SADDAM’S LARGESS FOR PALESTINIANS | 171 | ||
| GOOD COP, BAD COP | 172 | ||
| 10. From Jerusalem to Washington: an alliance strengthened and confirmed | 175 | ||
| MISSILES, “SUPERGUNS,” AND PROFITS | 176 | ||
| SADDAM BREWS THE KUWAIT CRISIS | 178 | ||
| ISRAEL AND “DESERT STORM” | 180 | ||
| TARGET: SADDAM HUSSEIN | 185 | ||
| KUWAIT FREED: SADDAM SPARED | 185 | ||
| CLINTON’S CONTAINMENT; THE CIA’S | 188 | ||
| AN ISRAELI PEACE WITH SADDAM? | 189 | ||
| MISADVENTURES OF THE UN ARMS | 190 | ||
| CLINTON: “OUST SADDAM” | 192 | ||
| U.S. POLICY SHIFTS | 196 | ||
| THE “NEOCONS” AT WORK | 197 | ||
| 11. Endgame: Iraq Democratized or Dismembered? | 201 | ||
| “GET SADDAM” | 202 | ||
| THE PALESTINIAN DISCONNECTION | 203 | ||
| THE CABAL IN ACTION | 205 | ||
| MECHANICS OF AN ALLIANCE | 206 | ||
| ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE INPUT | 207 | ||
| A (MILITARILY) WELL-PLANNED CAMPAIGN | 210 | ||
| THE UNPLANNED OCCUPATION | 212 | ||
| INTELLIGENCE FIASCOS | 213 | ||
| ISRAEL’S STEINITZ INQUIRY | 216 | ||
| SHARED WEAPONS, SHARED TRAINING | 217 | ||
| THE ABU GHRAIB NIGHTMARE | 220 | ||
| ISRAEL, TURKEY, AND THE IRAQI KURDS | 224 | ||
| NATION-BUILDING—OR DISSOLUTION? | 225 | ||
| AN ENDGAME BEGINS; AN ALLIANCE HOLDS | 229 | ||
| Notes | 233 | ||
| Selected Bibliography | 242 | ||
| Index | 247 |