While we have seen the American side of this story in To Start a War by Robert Draper, the Iraqi side of the catastrophe is the focus of this tome by Steve Coll. It was fascinating to get an inside view of how an American adversary responded to American disinformation and pressure, and the glimpse into Saddam's mind (as much as Coll could) helps explain his thinking.

Absolutely PHENOMENAL work! Using papers never before analyzed in depth, this provides the most thorough timeline of Saddam's rise to power and details how he kept it. And while we'll never know fully why he chose to let the world think he was on the verge of having a nuclear warhead, we see quite clearly that it was never a serious claim.

It also saddens me more when thinking about how many lives were lost over boasting (on both sides.)

It's a great read.

Although I remember aspects of the first Gulf War and the later invasion of Iraq during GWB's term, there was little that I actually knew about those events. Although this can be heavy reading at times, it's quite fascinating and gripping. If you're drawn to espionage nonfiction, definitely read this. It's not necessary to have much background information on SH or Iraq's recent history; this is a terrific eye-opening read.

Many thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.