In the West, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 and later Saddam Husain's political survival following a punishing defeat in war have been greeted with bewilderment and incomprehension. The history of politics in Iraq and the context which has given rise to Saddam Husayn's violent Ba'thist regime have been barely understood.

This highly praised book is the first to explore the emergence of modern Iraq from its foundation in 1920 into the 21st century. It covers the period from the revolution in 1958, concentrating particularly on Saddam Husayn's rise to power and his consolidation as leader. It is the only political history of modern Iraq now available to provide a critical analysis of the Ba'thist regime which has ruled since 1968.

The authors also explore the role and decline of the Iraqi Communist Party, the shifting policies towards the Kurds and the Shi'is, the nationalisation of oil and Iraq's relations with its neighbours. With the extensive revision and updatings of Peter Sluglett, they provide a stimulating analysis of the country's economy, now so drastically affected by international sanctions.

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Real Promo blurb
As the world holds its breath while the US-Iraq confrontation approaches its denouement, here is the definitive story of Saddam Husayn, his rise to power and the historical background to his dictatorship.

This highly praised book explores the emergence of modern Iraq from the revolution in 1958 and concentrating on Saddam Husayn's rise to power and his consolidation as leader. The only political history of modern Iraq now available, it provides a critical analysis of the Ba'thist regime which has ruled since 1968. It explores the decline of the Iraqi Communist Party, the shifting policies towards the Kurds and the Shi'is, and Iraq's relations with its neighbours. Extensively updated by Peter Sluglett, it provides analysis of the country's economy, now so damaged by international sanctions.

`This is an excellent, reasoned, historical analysis of Iraq, lucidly written, theoretically astute, empirically based, politically firm.'
Fred Halliday

`A very good book indeed' Albert Hourani
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Author aff.
The late Marion Farouk-Sluglett lectured in Middle Eastern Politics at the University College of Wales. Peter Sluglett is Professor of History at the University of Utah.

Contenu

Acknowledgments xi Foreword to the Third Edition xiii Foreword to the First Edition xv 1 Iraq Before the Revolution of 1958 1 Early Modern Iraq: from Ottoman Frontier Province to British Military Occupation, c.1550-1914 1 Economy and Society, c.1850-1914 3 The Last Years of Ottoman Rule 5 The Origins and Development of British Interests in Iraq and the Gulf Area 7 British Occupation and Mandate,1914-1932 8 'Independent' Iraq 15 Political Currents, c.1920-1946 16 The Kurds under the Mandate and Monarchy 23 Economy and Society before the Revolution of 1958: Land Tenure and Rural Social Structure 30 Economy and Society before the Revolution of 1958: Urban Life and the Urban Economy 35 The Last Years of the Monarchy,1946-1958 38 2 1958-1963 47 Preparations for the Coup:Qasim and the Free Officers before July 1958 47 The Coup and the Revolution of 14 July 1958 49 The Political Climate in the Immediate Aftermath of the Revolution 51 The Emergence of 'Abd al-Karim Qasim 52 'Unity Now' versus 'Federation '55 The Split between Qasim and 'Arif, August to November 1958 5 The Rashid 'Ali 'Coup' 60 The Communist 'Threat' 62 Mosul, March 1959 66 Kirkuk, July 1959 70 The Attempt on Qasim's Life, October 1959 72 The Breaking of the Radical Left 74 Social and Economic Policies,1958-1963 76 The Kurdish Question, 1958-1963 79 Qasim's Last Years, 1961-1963 82 3 1963-1968 85 The Origins of Ba'thism 87 The Ba'th in Iraq 90 The Ba'th-Nationalist Alliance,February-November 1963 92 The Regime of 'Abd al-Salam 'Arif,1963-1966 93 The Government of 'Abd al-Rahman al-Bazzaz, September 1965 to August 1966 97 The Presidency of 'Abd al-Rahman 'Arif,April 1966 to July 1968 99 Social and Economic Policies, 1963-1968 101 The Kurdish Question under the 'Arifs 102 The Communists under the 'Arifs 104 4 1968-1972 107 The Background to the July 1968 Coups: the Ba'th Party and the Struggle for Power 10 The Coups of July 1968 112 The Government of 30 July 1968 116 The First Steps on the Road to Oil Nationalisation: Negotiations with the Soviet Union, March-July 1969 123 Relations with the ICP and KDP, 1969-1970 126 The Ba'th and Black September 132 Further Power Struggles: The Emergence of Saddam Husayn 134 Social and Economic Policies, 1968-1972 137 The Uneasy Road to Reconciliation: The Ba'th, the Communists and the Kurds, 1970-1972 140 The Background to the Nationalisation of the Iraq Petroleum Company 145 5 1972-1975 149 For and Against the National Patriotic Front 151 The Consequences of the Nationalisation of the IPC 154 The Formation of the National Patriotic Front 156 The Kurds and the National Front 158 The Defiance and Defeat of Nazim Kazzar, June-July 1973 160 The Ba'th,the Kurds and Iran, 1973-1974 164 Open Warfare, 1974-1975 167 6 1975-1980 171 1973-1975: the Ba'th Dig In 172 Iraq's Relations with Its Neighbours, 1973-1975 176 Domestic Politics, 1975-1979 17 The Kurds, 1975-1979 187 The Shi'i Opposition 190 Foreign Relations, 1975-1980 200 The Struggle for Power within the Ba'th Party -- Saddam Husayn and his Rivals, 1976-1980 206 7 Economy and Society since 1958 215 Oil and the Iraqi Economy, 1958-1963 216 Economy and Society under the 'Arif Brothers 219 Economy and Society Under the Ba'th 227 8 The War between Iraq and Iran 255 Iraq and Iran, 1975-1979 255 The Early Years of the War 257 The Political Impact of the War on Iraq 262 The Effects of the War on the Iraqi Economy 264 The Last Two Years of the War: 1986-1988 266 al-Anfal,1988 269 The Political and Military Situation after the War 270 The Reconstruction of the Economy and the Bureaucracy 274 Prelude to Invasion 277 9 The Invasion of Kuwait and Its Aftermath 281 Perceptions and Misperceptions: Some Considerations of the Background to the Invasion 283 The Aftermath of the Gulf War 288 The Risings in the Shi'i South and Kurdistan 289 Sanctions and the United Nations Inspections 290 Kurdish Politics since 1991 295 Shi'i Politics since 1991 299 Human Rights in Iraq 301 Iraqi Politics since 1991 304 Conclusion 30 Notes 311 Bibliography 361 Index 381