Banking on Baghdad : Inside Iraq's 7,000-Year History of War, Profit, and Conflict

New York Times and international bestselling author Edwin Black uncovers Iraq's hidden economy and the companies that profit from its upheaval Big business and global warfare have long been fiery and symbiotic forces in Iraq. Banking on Baghdad tells the dramatic and tragic history of a land long the center of world commerce-and documents the many ways Iraq's recent history mirrors its tumultuous past. Tracing the involvement of Western governments and militaries, as well as oil, banking, and other corporate interests in Iraq, Black shows that today, just as yesterday, the world needs Iraq's resources-and is always willing to fight and invade in order to acquire and protect them. While demonstrating that Iraq itself is partially to blame for its current state of turmoil, Black does not shy away from the uncomfortable truth that war and profit have also played an equal part in creating the Iraq we know today. Just as he did in IBM and the Holocaust, Black exposes the hidden associations between leading corporations, war, and oil-such as the astonishing connections between Nazi Germany, Iraq, and the Holocaust. He exposes the war and race-based profiteering by some of the world's most prestigious corporations, as well as the political and economic ties between the Bush administration and the companies that gain handsomely from its foreign policy. Just as he did in War Against the Weak, Black offers a compelling blend of history and contemporary investigative journalism that spans a century and eschews easy answers for complicated questions. Edwin Black (Washington, DC) is the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of IBM and the Holocaust, The Transfer Agreement, and War Against the Weak. His journalism has appeared in the Washington Post, The Village Voice, The Sunday Times (of London), and The Los Angeles Times. "In Banking on Baghdad, Edwin Black chronicles the history of a land long the center of world commerce and conflict. Tracing the involvement of Western governments and militaries, as well as oil, banking, and other corporate interests, Black pinpoints why today, just as throughout modern history, the world needs Iraq's resources - and remains determined to acquire and protect them. Banking on Baghdad documents the many ways Iraq's recent history mirrors its tumultuous past." "Black documents a long record of war profiteering in Iraq and takes a hard look at the corporations currently doing business there. With access to numerous oil company archives, the papers of a half dozen governments, and numerous other primary sources yielding some 50,000 documents, Banking on Baghdad tells a monumental story 7,000 years in the making." "From the annihilation of Baghdad by the Mongol Horde in 1258 to the lightning charge of American battle tanks in 2003, Iraq's history is defined by the blood spilt on its soil. Now, Banking on Baghdad provides the historical context lacking from the political discourse in the news media and in Washington circles. It argues that Iraq's future is inextricably linked to its tempestuous history, and that the ongoing conflict there may become just another tragic chapter in that country's long and calamitous record."--BOOK JACKET. In [this book, the author] chronicles the history of a land long the center of world commerce and conflict. Tracing the involvement of Western governments and militaries, as well as oil, banking, and other corporate interests, [he] pinpoints why today, just as throughout modern history, the world needs Iraq's resources - and remains determined to acquire and protect them. [He also] provides the historical context lacking from the political discourse in the news media and in Washington circles. It argues that Iraq's future is inextricably linked to its tempestuous history, and that the ongoing conflict there may become just another tragic chapter in that country's long and calamitous record.-Dust jacket BANKING ON BAGHDAD CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION NOTES ON USAGE PART ONE From Cradle to Crossroads PART TWO Fumes PART THREE War and Petropolitics PART FOUR The Continuing Conflict NOTES. From Cradle To Crossroads -- Fumes -- War And Petropolitics -- The Continuing Conflict. Edwin Black. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 437-450) And Index. "In city-yes.In city-okay. "Mosque-No!" argued an animated, bearded Shi'a Moslem at the very front of a gathering mob.