"The borders we've given this new state (Iraq) are guaranteedto create: strife in this region, abundant opportunity for military intervention, career advancement and glory---for the next 100 years"---so quoth a youngWinston Churchill who was a minor functionary during the Sykes-Picotperiod (1915-16) who was actually citing a quote by a more senior official.Frankly, I did not know that the Turks were delighted by this treaty becausea rather wroth Kemal Attaturk had a portion of the new Turkish Constitutionspecifically tell future generation not to play the Allies' game and attemptto take back traditionally Turkish areas of Iraq with military force.
Toby Dodge, a British political scientist who has studied Iraq extensively, has produced this book in order to educate others about one role that an occupying power has taken, 1920's Iraq via London, or 2003 Iraq via Washington. In 1920, The British officials in charge f Iraq imported many British ideas on Iraq.
This book is a must read for all. The book speaks volumes about a whole lot.
It is difficult to understand how anyone can really understand the enigmas and contradictions of 21st Century Iraq with out understanding its 20th Century origins. This remarkable book, successfully for the most part, attempts to provide that understanding.
Many would be quick to lament the fact that no one from the Bush administration read Toby Dodge's book Inventing Iraq. While it is abundantly clear that many mistakes have been made, Dodge himself states on page 158 that "for U.
Great background history to today's strategic events in Middle East.
A concise look at Britain's role in the nation building of Iraq post World War I. Dodge uses some great evidence to show how the British outlook toward the Middle East was so fundamentally flawed and analyzes how that impacted their policy decisions during the Mandate period.
