Includes bibliographical references (p. 224-226) and index.
Contents
Mesopotamia: Civilization's breeding ground: Roots of civilized societies / Geoff Simons -- Early culture of Mesopotamia / Seton Lloyd -- Ishtar gate: Example of Babylonian magnificence / Robert Koldewey -- Infusions of foreign powers / Georges Roux -- Baghdad Caliphate: Global power center : Rise of Islam and Arab conquests / Walter M. Weiss -- Hustling, bustling Baghdad / Gaston Wiet -- New era of foreign domination / Rom Landau -- Aftermath of recurrent conquests / Marco Polo -- Provinces and protectorate: Iraq under the Ottomans and British: Ottoman takeover / Geoff Simons -- Political and social roots of modern Iraq / Charles Tripp -- Turbulence in the early twentieth century / Phebe Marr -- Emergence of modern independent Iraq: National transition to independence under King Faisal / Majid Khadduri -- Internal opposition and factionalism in postindependent Iraq / Stephen Hemsley Longrigg and Frank Stoakes -- Pan-Arabism: Decisive force in Iraq's destiny / Michel Aflaq -- From monarchy to anarchy / Sandra Mackey -- Reign of Saddam Hussein: Making of Hussein's persona and character / Efraim Karsh and Inari Rautsi -- Ruthless rule yields social progress / Samir al-Khalil -- Iran-Iraq war / Sandra Mackey -- War over Kuwait / George H.W. Bush -- Hussein's quest for nuclear weapons / Khidhir Hamza with Jeff Stein -- U.S. war on Iraq and its aftermath: Iraq poses a threat to world peace / George W. Bush -- Opposing military intervention / Brent Scowcroft -- Iraq stands firm against world opinion / Saddam Hussein, interviewed by Tony Benn -- Achieving lasting stability in Iraq / Niall Ferguson.