State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration by James … But I was fairly ignorant of the who and why and for what. I recommend this book to Iraqi vets and people that have never been to Iraq for some interesting insight and information. [Packer] offers the vivid detail and balanced analysis that have made him one of the leading chroniclers of the Iraq war.”―Yonatan Lupu, San Francisco Chronicle“The great strength of George Packer's book is that it gives a fair hearing to both views. Instead, Packer reports that a small clique of policy people in key administration positions, primarily Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his deputy Paul Wolfowitz, sought to fundamentally alter the future of the Middle East. The author concludes having panned the overall job of the administration. There was a problem loading your book clubs. [5], Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism, https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/07/books/07book.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0, https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=5007264, http://www.shopgulliversbooks.com/book/9780374530556, http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2006-General-Nonfiction, http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/bios/george_packer/search?contributorName=george%20packer, Foreign policy of the George W. Bush administration, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Assassins%27_Gate:_America_in_Iraq&oldid=933968995, Books on anti-terrorism policy of the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 January 2020, at 00:30. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. She referred to what she saw as "Mr. Packer's lucid ability to pull together information from earlier books and integrate it with his own reporting from Washington and Iraq." Perhaps more interesting than the American leaders, with their pristine, naive philosophies and contradictory justifications, are the many accounts of individual Iraqis caught in the maelstrom. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Reviewer Yonatan Lupu called it a "book that is not only relevant but discerning and provocative", and he lauded it for having "vivid detail and balanced analysis". She also called the work an "authoritative and tough-minded new book". Zakaria also remarked, "In reading him we see the staggering gap between abstract ideas and concrete reality." The Assassins' Gate also describes the place of the war in American life: the ideological battles in Washington that led to chaos in Iraq, the ordeal of a fallen soldier's family, and the political culture of a country too bitterly polarized to realize such a vast and morally complex undertaking. Equal time is given to Kurds, Sunnis, and Shiites; urban and rural residents. [4][5], Packer describes his own socio-political views as being that of an "ambivalently pro-war liberal". Shadows at the Assassin's Gate: 'homicide bomb' tests resolve in lawless Iraq Rory McCarthy in Baghdad Sun 18 Jan 2004 21.49 EST First published on Sun 18 Jan 2004 21.49 EST You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. I'm not sure much of that faith will be around in the next decades. I have sought out the opinions of many others and thought that his book sounded interested. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 2, 2015. Now I know better, the war was (also) about oil, but also about big ideas and the future of the world and simple faith that America can make great and positive things happen in our complex and bogged down world. They reportedly planned a grand realignment in favor of the West and its ideas using a democratic national outpost in the region. Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2016. The Assassins' Gate by George Packer, 467pp, Faber, £14.99. Packer is one of those writers that, if I see his name on anything printed, I'll stop to read his thoughts. I have a whole bookcase of books about the Iraq business and this is far and away the best - and that is saying something! Packer describes their ideology as frankly delusional due to the challenges faced. I didn't support the war when it took place and was dismayed to see what has happened to Iraq under, during, and after the American involvement. He also argues, "The Iraq War was always winnable; it still is. In what way is the gate a metaphor for the current situation in Iraq, and America’s role in the world? Please try your request again later. "Swaddled in abstract ideas," he writes, "convinced of their own righteousness, incapable of self-criticism, indifferent to accountability, they turned a difficult undertaking into a needlessly deadly one" so that when "things went wrong, they found other people to blame." IN "The Assassins' Gate," his chronicle of the Iraq war, … He published the work through Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 2005. OTHER BOOKS. I would agree with everything that the previous reviewer wrote, and so I won't repeat his detailed summary; suffice it to say that the story is alarming, the writing amazing, the breadth and the depth are awe-inspiring. Named One of the 10 Best Books of the Year by The New York Times Book Review Named one of the Best Books of the Year by The Washington Post Book World, The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle Book Review, Los Angeles Times Book Review, USA Today, Time, and New York magazine.Winner of the Overseas Press Club’s Cornelius Ryan Award for Best Nonfiction Book on International AffairsWinner of the New York Public Library Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in JournalismThe Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq recounts how the United States set about changing the history of the Middle East and became ensnared in a guerrilla war in Iraq. The book’s prologue describes the crowds that gather at the Assassins’ Gate and gives the history of the gate itself (built by Saddam Hussein as an imitation of antiq-uity). Assassins' Gate is an astonishing work. The article reviews the book “The Assassin’s Gate : America in Iraq” from various perspectives of bureaucracy, policies and politics. Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2006. The Assassins' Gate also describes the place of the war in American life: the ideological battles in Washington that led to chaos in Iraq, the ordeal of a fallen soldier's family, and the political culture of a country too bitterly polarized to realize such a vast and morally complex undertaking. For this very reason, the recklessness of its authors is all the harder to forgive. [1] He later told NPR that he feared the "administration would not be able to do this" and also worried "about the regional reaction... the inevitable consequences of war. [1][2], Favorable reviews appeared in a variety of publications such as the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle,[1][3] and the Overseas Press Club recommended it. In a very bleak and ashen way this book makes the reader believe once more that big ideas do actually matter, perhaps because of the time given in it to Kanan Makiya. the assassins gate america in iraq Oct 26, 2020 Posted By Corín Tellado Publishing TEXT ID 5343a9de Online PDF Ebook Epub Library The Assassins Gate America In Iraq INTRODUCTION : #1 The Assassins Gate ^ Best Book The Assassins Gate America In Iraq ^ Uploaded By Corín Tellado, the assassins gate america in iraq is a non fiction book detailing the 2003 invasion of iraq It is not one of the ancient structures one might find in this cradle of civilization but a modern construction put up by Saddam. Very informative first hand take on how the Iraq war was bungled. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq is a non-fiction book detailing the 2003 invasion of Iraq and its aftermath by American journalist George Packer, otherwise best known for his writings in The New Yorker. [2] Paker argues, "Where it mattered and could have made a difference, the advice of experts was unwelcome. The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq recounts how the United States set about changing the history of the Middle East and became ensnared in a guerrilla war in Iraq. October 2005. The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq recounts how the United States set about changing the history of the Middle East and became ensnared in a guerrilla war in Iraq. He published the work through Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 2005. It describes the people and ideas that created the Bush Administration's war policy, and what happened when those ideas were applied to Iraq. "[1], The New York Times published praise from literary critic Michiko Kakutani, who lauded the book's "wide-angled, overarching take on the Iraq war". If you'd have asked me in real time I would have most likely said that the war is (only) about oil and that president Bush is, to quote Packer, "not very curious about the world". If you want an accurate and fair account on the Iraq War from an on the ground reporter this is a book I'd recommend. [3], The book won the New York Public Library’s Helen Bernstein Book Award. Also, a deeply moving and far-ranging account of one American, the father of a soldier killed in the war, delves into the consequences of war for those Americans without a voice in national politics. More By and About This Author. ISBN: 1435277066 (ISBN13: 9781435277069) Average rating: 0.0 (0 ratings) more details. Something went wrong. Praise also appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. Buy a cheap copy of The Assassins Gate: America in Iraq book by George Packer. “The most complete, sweeping, and powerful account of the Iraq War.”―Keith Gessen, New York Magazine“A deftly constructed and eloquently told account of the war's origins and aftermath...Packer makes it deeply human and maddeningly vivid.”―Daniel Kurtz-Phelan, Los Angeles Times Book Review“Authoritative and tough-minded.”―Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times“A book that is not only relevant but discerning and provocative. the assassins gate america in iraq Oct 29, 2020 Posted By Ken Follett Ltd TEXT ID 2345ad34 Online PDF Ebook Epub Library The Assassins Gate America In Iraq INTRODUCTION : #1 The Assassins Gate ** Free PDF The Assassins Gate America In Iraq ** Uploaded By Ken Follett, the assassins gate america in iraq is a non fiction book detailing the 2003 invasion of iraq 467 pp. Great book. There's a problem loading this menu right now. It brings to life the people and ideas that created the Bush administration's war policy and led America to the Assassins' Gate—the main point of entry into the American zone in Baghdad. Packer stated that the whole project became a bungled mess with American officials in the George W. Bush administration cherry-picking intelligence to support their positions, as well as being unable to respond to military issues such as insufficient troops, armor, and supplies. Why stick to false understanding when you can read such a fair and well informed book about the Iraq War? $26. Reviewed by Michael Rubin. by George Packer Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Daily Star (Beirut) December 20, 2005 The Assassins' Gate recounts how the United States set about changing Middle-Eastern history and became ensnared in a guerrilla war in Iraq. 2. [2], Packer writes that planning in various agencies such as U.S. State Department and the National Security Council proved both very right, in terms of the actual military invasion against Hussein's forces that proceeded rapidly with few casualties, and very wrong, in terms of the following occupation and post-war reconstruction. Packer has written an account of the Iraq war that will stand alongside such narrative histories as A Bright Shining Lie, Fire in the Lake and Hell in a Very Small Place. Muddled thinking, according to Packer, in the high offices of the U.S. government as to their mission and goals led to a tone deaf response to responsible, pointed criticism by lower-level people about Iraqi border security issues, problems in Iraqi police and army expansion, corruption in funding of Iraqi government programs, and other such areas. By “The Assassin’s Gate: America in Iraq,” is the tale of America’s involvement in Iraq that began in the March of 2003 and was in the line of decisive actions taken in the aftermath of the “9/11” attacks on the American mainland. The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq recounts how the United States set about changing the history of the Middle East and became ensnared in a guerrilla war in Iraq. Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2021. (All my friends got compulsory copies). By George Packer. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq recounts how the United States set about changing the history of the Middle East and became ensnared in a guerrilla war in Iraq. The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq George Packer, Author. The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq recounts how the United States set about changing the history of the Middle East and became ensnared in a guerrilla war in Iraq. George Packer of the New Yorker wrote The Assassins’ Gate, American In Iraq in an attempt to explain the ideas behind the 2003 U.S. invasion, and how they came undone. The book was also a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize and won the New York Public Library's Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism. George Packer's best-selling first-person narrative combines the scope of an epic history with the depth and intimacy of a novel, creating a masterful account of America's most controversial foreign venture since Vietnam. the assassins gate america in iraq Oct 06, 2020 Posted By Beatrix Potter Ltd TEXT ID 5343a9de Online PDF Ebook Epub Library The Assassins Gate America In Iraq INTRODUCTION : #1 The Assassins Gate ## Free Book The Assassins Gate America In Iraq ## Uploaded By Beatrix Potter, the assassins gate america in iraq is a non fiction book detailing the 2003 invasion of Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1st edition (September 19, 2006). Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. George Packer’s The Assassins’ Gate is a narrative of the causes and consequences of American involvement in Iraq in the early twenty-first century. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. This book is a rare find, Packer is a journalist who not only digs deep for the stories he tells, but is able to put them within the proper context, a feat rarely attempted and seemingly un-attempted nowadays. America in Iraq. $26. Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2019. Not surprisingly, Vincent's book "In the Red Zone: A Journey into the Soul of Iraq" is a richer, more honest account. The book's prologue describes the crowds that gather at the Assassins' Gate and gives the history of the gate itself (built by Saddam Hussein as an imitation of antiquity). If you have to read only one book on Iraq, make it this one. The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America, Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century, Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2003 to 2005, Imperial Life in The Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone, Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980, To Start a War: How the Bush Administration Took America into Iraq. THE ASSASSINS’ GATE: AMERICA IN IRAQ recounts how the United States set about changing the history of the Middle East and became ensnared in a guerilla war in Iraq. This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. This book, which does a great job at taking the reader through all the stages that lead to the Iraq War and then through the mismanagement of this great achievement (to topple Saddam with very little bloodshed on both sides) did something very meaningful for me. Please try again. The Assassin's Gate: America in Iraq by George Packer About the Book Providing unprecedented insight into America's most controversial foreign-policy decision since Vietnam,€The Assassins' Gate€recounts how the Bush administration set about changing the history of the Middle East and became mired in brutal guerrilla warfare in Iraq. In reading him we see the staggering gap between abstract ideas and concrete reality.”―Fareed Zakaria, The New York Times Book Review (cover review). There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Unable to add item to List. Who remains a powerful figure throughout the years this book covers. The gate referred to in the title is the entryway to the Green Zone. Please try again. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Named One of the 10 Best Books of the Year by The New York Times Book Review Named one of the Best Books of the Year by The Washington Post Book World , The Boston... Free shipping over $10. 3. It brings to life the people and ideas that created the Bush administration's war policy and led America to the Assassins' Gate--the main point of entry into the American zone in Baghdad. It brings to life the people and ideas that created the Bush administration's war policy and led America to the Assassins' Gate—the main point of entry into the American zone in Baghdad. It brings to life the people and ideas that created the Bush administration's war policy and led America to the Assassins' Gate―the main point of entry into the American zone in Baghdad. What undercuts "The Assassins' Gate" more is Packer's tendency - like that of many instant experts and political writers - to treat Iraq as a template upon which to act out agendas that have more to do with Washington than Iraq. He begins with Iraqi exile Kanan Makiya and the neoconservatives who argued for creating a democratic Iraq using American military force to overthrow Saddam Hussein. ‎THE ASSASSINS' GATE: AMERICA IN IRAQ recounts how the United States set about changing the history of the Middle East and became ensnared in a guerilla war in Iraq. "The story of the Iraq war is a story of ideas about the role of the United States in the world, and of the individuals who conceived and acted on them," New Yorker staff writer Packer opines in the preface to Assassin's Gate.Largely assembled from a series of articles penned in the wake of Saddam's fall, the title alludes to the gate separating the U.S.-protected Green Zone from Baghdad proper. He states that he "wanted to see a homicidal dictator removed from power before he committed mass murder again", having also agreed with the overall cause of promoting democracy and free societies worldwide articulated by George W. Bush and his supporters. Please try again. The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq (Library Binding) Published May 16th 2008 Library Binding, 481 pages Author(s): George Packer. 3. While I didn’t agree with everything the author wrote (who agrees with everything anyway), but I did find it well written and informative. In what way is the gate a metaphor for the current situation in Iraq, and America's role in the world? Packer views the whole enterprise of re-building Iraq as suffering from "criminal negligence".[1][2]. The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. "[1], Richard N. Haass, a former director of policy planning at the U.S. State Department, is quoted in the book as saying that he will go to his grave not knowing why the administration chose to invade Iraq. According to the book, figures from Rumsfeld to Vice President Dick Cheney and others refused to consider U.S. involvement in what they viewed as unnecessary "nation-building" for ideological reasons, expecting to only have 30,000 Americans in Iraq by September 2003. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Farrar, Straus & Giroux $25 (467p) ISBN 978-0-374-29963-7. THE ASSASSINS' GATE. Free of cant―but not, crucially, of anger―Mr. As a meditation on the limits of American power, it's sobering.”―Tom Bissell, The New York Observer“The best book I read in 2005.”―Stephen Elliott, LA Weekly“A brilliantly reported analysis of the war in Iraq.”―GQ“Masterful...Packer's sketch of the prewar debates is subtle, sharp and poignant...His reporting from Iraq was always good, but the book is even better, putting the reader at the side of Walter Benjamin's angel of history, watching helplessly as the wreckage unfolds at his feet.”―Gideon Rose, Washington Post Book World (cover review)“Packer provides page after page of vivid description of the haphazard, poorly planned and almost criminally executed occupation of Iraq. Easily the best book on the Iraq mess - disturbing, stunning, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 9, 2006. The Assassins' Gate also describes the place of the war in American life: the ideological battles in Washington that led to chaos in Iraq, the ordeal of a fallen soldier's family, and the political culture of a country too bitterly polarized to realize such a vast and morally complex undertaking. [1], Fareed Zakaria wrote for The New York Times Book Review that "Packer provides page after page of vivid description of the haphazard, poorly planned and almost criminally executed occupation of Iraq." The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq is a non-fiction book detailing the 2003 invasion of Iraq and its aftermath by American journalist George Packer, otherwise best known for his writings in The New Yorker. Packer stated that the whole project became a bungled mess with American officials in the George W. Bush administrationcherry-picking intelligence to support their positions, as well as being unable to respond to military issues such as insu… "[2], The book describes rationales for the invasion of Iraq in the context of the war on terror, detailing that Saddam Hussein's supposed ties to al-Qaeda and other issues played far less of a role than usually understood. The Assassins' Gate also describes the place of the war in American life: the ideological battles in Washington that led to chaos in Iraq, the ordeal of a fallen soldier's family, and the political culture of a country too bitterly polarized to realize such a vast and morally complex undertaking. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. It brings to life the people and ideas that created the Bush administration's war policy and led America to the Assassins' Gate―the main point of entry into the American zone in Baghdad. I did two tours in Iraq with the US Army, including one in the “Green Zone” living in Saddam’s palace. It brings to life the people and ideas that created the Bush administration’s war policy and led America to the Assassins’ Gate—the main point of entry into the American zone in Baghdad. The Assassins' Gate also describes the place of the war in American life: the ideological battles in Washington that led to chaos in Iraq, the ordeal of a fallen soldier's family, and the political culture of a country too bitterly polarized to realize such a vast and morally complex undertaking. It brings to life the people and ideas that created the Bush administration's war policy and led America to the Assassins' Gate―the main point of entry into the American zone in Baghdad. 480pp. Nationalistic dreamers, housewives, sectarians, businessmen, exiles, military men, educators, former prisoners, and countless others are recorded with straightforward simplicity and illuminated with great insight.