Circle of Fear: My Life As an Israeli and Iraqi Spy

by Hussein Sumaida, Carole Jerome

Hussein Sumaida, the son of one of Saddam Hussein's principal lieutenants, was a member of the Iraqi elite. Underlying that privilege, however, was the cruelty of Ba'th Party members who used propaganda, torture, and murder to turn Iraq into a police state. Appalled, Sumaida began to work for Israeli intelligence, but he was soon discovered and awaited the worst. Surprisingly, Saddam spared his life in an unprecedented act of loyalty to Sumaida's father and put him to work as an Iraqi spy. Thus was the author drawn even deeper into Saddam's vicious system, into the circle of fear.
Hussein Sumaida's compelling story takes the reader inside the bizarre inner workings of Iraqi society and the Iraqi intelligence service, and offers a unique firsthand look at Saddam Hussein's brutal rule. Sumaida's escape from the Ba'th dictatorship is the stuff of the best spy thrillers.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Middle East, Politics, Espionage

Hardcover

First published September 30, 1991

Reviews

[Blaine Morrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Convoluted story that - if it's really true - is stranger than any fiction. The writing is sometimes hard to follow, but there's plenty of action and Sumaida's insights into Iraqi life and politics are interesting. The last chapter - in which the author speculates about Iraq's future - is especially interesting and worth reading.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmm...a very strange and scary book. IF half of it is true, I can't believe this guy made it through.