United States came into Baghdad with no plan, 21 May 2005

By	Bert Ruiz "author/journalist" (Pleasantville, NY) - See all my reviews

Anderson concludes the United States came in with no plan for order, security, jobs, electricity, a water supply or the collection of garbage. The author is a gifted writer and carefully reports the sounds and colors of the city of Baghdad. Moreover, he provides a meticulous accounting of the growing doubts among the people of Iraq about the American capacity to restore law and order.

Still and all, Anderson does not hide the truth. Saddam Hussein is a butcher...he terrorized his people. Anderson reports the terrible crimes against humanity, the fear...the hatred of Hussein. However, Anderson links the absence of a coherent American plan to the intensifying guerrilla insurgency and rampant crime. He also does not hide the fact that Anti-Americanism is growing among the people of Iraq because of the growing civilian casualties.

The author intelligently explains that Iraqis like foreigners but do not like to be governed by them. He also provides valuable insights to disenfranchised tribal leaders. Overall, this book is essential to understanding what went wrong with the White House war in Iraq. Interestinly enough, Anderson bravely offers the Shiite view of a simpler and cheaper way of winning the trust of the people of Iraq...solve the question of Palestine. "If you do you will have friends in Middle Eastern Government's and there would be no terrorism; they will deal with it...if the U.S. stood justly toward situations then its moral power would be stronger than its army power." Highly recommended.

Bert Ruiz

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