Dictatorship, Imperialism and Chaos: Iraq Since 1989

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Zed Books, 2006 - History - 136 pages

Since 1989 the history of Iraq has been one of the world's most traumatic. In this book, Thabit Abdullah places the Iraqi people at the centre of changes which began with the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and ended with the current American-led occupation.

Battles for control of oil, the vacuum created by Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and the devastating impact of sanctions have wreaked havoc on Iraqi society over the past two decades. Abdullah argues that current ethnic tensions and religious divisions are a response to this destruction of civil society, rather than a consequence of having 'artificial' borders, inherent in Iraq's very existence.

This powerful and often moving account provides a uniquely measured insight into the recent political and social history of Iraq. It is an ideal introduction for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of this important and controversial nation.

 

Contents

Dictatorship and war
32
Imperialism and the crisis of Kuwait
48
The sanctions regime
71
Copyright

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About the author (2006)

Thabit A. J. Abdullah is Associate Professor in the Department of History at York University in Canada. His recent publications include A Short History of Iraq: From 636 to the Present (2003) and Merchants, Mamluks and Murder: The Political Economy of Commerce in Eighteenth Century Basra (2001). Thabit A. J. Abdullah is Associate Professor in the Department of History at York University in Canada. His recent publications include A Short History of Iraq: From 636 to the Present (2003) and Merchants, Mamluks and Murder: The Political Economy of Commerce in Eighteenth Century Basra (2001).

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