What do you think?
Web of Deceit: The History of Western Complicity in Iraq, from Churchill to Kennedy to George W. Bush
Read Barry Lando's blog at www.barrylando.com
An investigative history of Western complicity in Saddam Hussein's crimes reveals the story his trial never will.
In February 1991, the Shia of southern Iraq rose against Saddam Hussein. Barry M. Lando, a former investigative producer for 60 Minutes, argues compellingly that this ill-fated uprising represents one instance among many of Western complicity in Saddam Hussein's crimes against humanity. The Shia were responding to the call for rebellion from President George H.W. Bush that was broadcast repeatedly across Iraq by clandestine CIA stations. But, just as the revolution was on the brink of success, the United States and its allies turned their backs: U.S. troops destroyed huge weapons caches to prevent them from falling into rebel hands and blocked rebels trying to reach Baghdad. In the end, tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, were massacred.
Because of restrictions imposed by the Special Tribunal prosecuting Saddam Hussein, the extensive role of the U.S. and its allies in his crimes will never be explored at his trial. But as Web of Deceit demonstrates, the nations that now denounce Saddam most prominently secretly backed the dictator from his rise to power in the 1960s and ‘70s to his offensives in Iran and, despite warnings, took no action to stop his invasion of Kuwait. They also turned their backs when he used chemical weapons against the Iraqi people and persisted in international sanctions long after they had proved ineffective and, for hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians, lethal.
Web of Deceit draws on a wide range of journalism and scholarship to present a complete picture of what really happened in Iraq under Saddam, detailing–for the first time–the complicity of the West in its full and alarming extent.
An investigative history of Western complicity in Saddam Hussein's crimes reveals the story his trial never will.
In February 1991, the Shia of southern Iraq rose against Saddam Hussein. Barry M. Lando, a former investigative producer for 60 Minutes, argues compellingly that this ill-fated uprising represents one instance among many of Western complicity in Saddam Hussein's crimes against humanity. The Shia were responding to the call for rebellion from President George H.W. Bush that was broadcast repeatedly across Iraq by clandestine CIA stations. But, just as the revolution was on the brink of success, the United States and its allies turned their backs: U.S. troops destroyed huge weapons caches to prevent them from falling into rebel hands and blocked rebels trying to reach Baghdad. In the end, tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, were massacred.
Because of restrictions imposed by the Special Tribunal prosecuting Saddam Hussein, the extensive role of the U.S. and its allies in his crimes will never be explored at his trial. But as Web of Deceit demonstrates, the nations that now denounce Saddam most prominently secretly backed the dictator from his rise to power in the 1960s and ‘70s to his offensives in Iran and, despite warnings, took no action to stop his invasion of Kuwait. They also turned their backs when he used chemical weapons against the Iraqi people and persisted in international sanctions long after they had proved ineffective and, for hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians, lethal.
Web of Deceit draws on a wide range of journalism and scholarship to present a complete picture of what really happened in Iraq under Saddam, detailing–for the first time–the complicity of the West in its full and alarming extent.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 30, 2011
I am soooooo surprised by the actions and reactions of so many past leaders mentioned in this book. This book is a real eye opener for sure!! After you have read the book you get a good sense of why some Muslims really hate us.
This book should be required reading for young people in high school. So much can be learned about the European and American occupancy, financing, arming, killings, and political influencing of Iraq as well as other Middle Eastern nations. Let’s not forget about how our own government manipulated the American people into believing that our safety was in jeopardy if the U.S. did not invade Iraq. Barry Lando does an excellent job at historically documenting every duplicitous individual ever involved in the catastrophic events that has occurred in Iraq for the past 80 years (plus). He also documents the individuals who tried to prevent these catastrophic events from occurring. Sadly, there were definitely more villains and liars than there were heroes.
This book should be required reading for young people in high school. So much can be learned about the European and American occupancy, financing, arming, killings, and political influencing of Iraq as well as other Middle Eastern nations. Let’s not forget about how our own government manipulated the American people into believing that our safety was in jeopardy if the U.S. did not invade Iraq. Barry Lando does an excellent job at historically documenting every duplicitous individual ever involved in the catastrophic events that has occurred in Iraq for the past 80 years (plus). He also documents the individuals who tried to prevent these catastrophic events from occurring. Sadly, there were definitely more villains and liars than there were heroes.
October 24, 2010
At times enthralling, others too thick to even wade through, it is above all informative about an area every single American (or anyone else, for that matter) should be knowledgeable about. The book presents valuble information, but the method through which it conveys that message is more times than not is a tangled web of facts. Like a fly caught in a spider's web, I felt like a poor insect trapped in a world of spinning names, dates, memos, etc. I couldn't make heads or tails out of most of the information because the common narrative did not stick out enough. If you need down to the dot facts, this book will be of great assistance. But I wouldn't suggest it for someone with little knowledge of the history of the region.
January 28, 2016
A real eye opener that reads like a fascinating history novel. They just don't teach you these behind-the-scenes aspects of history in school.
If you want to be able to hold any intelligent opinion on the Iraq issue, and you haven't actually lived through the era, paying close attention to politics, this is a must-read.
If you want to be able to hold any intelligent opinion on the Iraq issue, and you haven't actually lived through the era, paying close attention to politics, this is a must-read.
February 29, 2016
Well documented and researched book. Clearly the author doesn't like George H W Bush or George W. Bush. It's still a good history book however I could've done with less political bias. The book is written as a historical account however with a clear political message of the left. Some of what the author predicted was wrong. I wouldn't buy it and am glad the library had it.
December 24, 2007
Not what I would consider a gripping book from a literary standpoint (but not terribly written either...). VERY informative about the impact that the U.S. and Britain had on Iraq over the past 100 years. Its frightening to see how much we could have avoided/we set in motion.
October 10, 2008
Wow, what a contrast to Michael Oren's book, Power, Faith,and Fantasy... or now as I'd like to call it Mid East lite. I enjoyed both books and maybe there is a more complete understanding of Iraq somewhere in the middle.
March 26, 2008
Got through the early history of British failures and the compromises that led to the "presentable young man" being put in place.
May 13, 2008
we are dicks to iraq :(
August 8, 2009
Pity the small country awash in oil wealth. The great power interests have fought to gain control of its resources since WWII.
October 4, 2011
Was well researched but very repetitive and at the end a bit boring...Otherwise good read if want to know what America stands for in politics
June 15, 2013
Difficult for me to review--since I wrote it..but invite others to give a look
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews