The Long Road to Baghdad: A History of U.S. Foreign Policy from the 1970s to the Present (New Press)

A sweeping and authoritative narrative, The Long Road to Baghdad places the Iraq War in the context of U.S. foreign policy since Vietnam, casting the conflict as a chapter in a much broader story of American diplomatic and military moves in the region. Diplomatic historian Lloyd Gardner explains the Iraq War as the necessary outcome of a half-century of doomed U.S. policies. The Long Road to Baghdad is essential reading, with sobering implications for a positive resolution of the present quagmire. The diplomatic historian examines the ideas, policies and actions that led from Vietnam to the Iraq War and America's disastrous role in the Middle East. “What will stand out one day is not George W. Bush's uniqueness but the continuum from the Carter doctrine to ‘shock and awe'in 2003.” —from The Long Road to Baghdad In this revealing narrative of America's path to its “new longest war,” one of the nation's premier diplomatic historians excavates the deep historical roots of the US misadventure in Iraq. Lloyd Gardner's sweeping and authoritative narrative places the Iraq War in the context of US foreign policy since Vietnam, casting the conflict as a chapter in a much broader story—in sharp contrast to the dominant narrative, which focus almost exclusively on the actions of the Bush Administration in the months leading up to the invasion. Gardner illuminates a vital historical thread connecting Walt Whitman Rostow's defense of US intervention in Southeast Asia, Zbigniew Brzezinski's attempts to project American power into the “arc of crisis” (with Iran at its center), and the efforts of two Bush administrations, in separate Iraq wars, to establish a “landing zone” in that critically important region. Far more disturbing than a simple conspiracy to secure oil, Gardner's account explains the Iraq War as the necessary outcome of a half-century of doomed US policies. “A vital primer to the slow-motion conflagration of American foreign policy.” —Kirkus Reviews In this stunning new narrative of the road to America's "new longest war," one of the nation's premier diplomatic historians excavates the deep historical roots of the U.S. misadventure in Iraq. Lloyd Gardner's sweeping and authoritative narrative places the Iraq War in the context of U.S. foreign policy since Vietnam, casting the conflict as a chapter in a much broader story in sharp contrast to the host of recent accounts, which focus almost exclusively on the decisions (and deceptions) in the months leading up to the invasion. Above all, Gardner illuminates a vital historical thread connecting Walt Whitman Rostow's defense of U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia, Zbigniew Brzezinski's renewed attempts to project American power into the "arc of crisis" (with Iran at its center), and, in the aftermath of the Cold War, the efforts of two Bush administrations, in separate Iraq wars, to establish a "landing zone" in that critically important region. Far more disturbing than a reckless adventure inspired by conservative ideologues or a simple conspiracy to secure oil (though both ingredients were present in powerful doses), Gardner's account explains the Iraq War as the necessary outcome of a half-century of doomed U.S. policies. The Long Road to Baghdad is essential reading, with sobering implications for a positive resolution of the present quagmire

A Sweeping And Authoritative Narrative, The Long Road to Baghdad places the Iraq War in the context of U.S. foreign policy since Vietnam, casting the conflict as a chapter in a much broader story of American diplomatic and military moves in the region.

With "a keen grasp of sprawling subject matter" (Kirkus), Lloyd C. Gardner, one of the nation's premier diplomatic historians, illuminates a vital historical thread connecting Walt Whitman Rostow's defense of U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia; Zbigniew Brzezinski's renewed attempts to project American power into the "arc of crisis"; and, in the aftermath of the Cold War, the efforts of two Bush administrations, in separate Iraq wars, to establish a "landing zone" in that critically important region.

The Long Road to Baghdad is essential reading, with sobering implications for understanding-and resolving-the present quagmire.

Looks at the ideas, policies and decisions that led from Vietnam to the Iraq War.