Ignorant Armies: Sliding into War in Iraq

By Gwynne Dyer and Dashka Slater

Baffled by how Bush's war on al-Qaeda segued into war on Iraq? Canada's leading expert on war unravels the tangled chain of events The terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, have unleashed an avalanche of events that is sliding inexorably towards war between the U.S.A. (and possibly its allies) and Iraq. These events are clearly connected yet so hugely different in character and motive that even those who follow the news closely are bewildered by how the war on al-Qaeda in Afghanistan segued into war in the Middle East. In Ignorant Armies , Gwynne Dyer, a peerless commentator on the causes and consequences of war, explains the strategies of the major players: American, Iraqi, Israeli, and Islamist. Alarmingly, he demonstrates that despite the growing bellicosity from the White House, neither the U.S.A. nor the other protagonists in this drama have a strategy that serves their own long-term interests. Worse, they are unlikely to achieve even their short-term goals. But, Dyer argues convincingly, they are likely to smash a good deal of crockery on their way to finding that out.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0771029772
• ISBN13: 9780771029776
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

convincing analysis

Rather than "leftist screed," this is a thoughtful and well-reasoned -- and convincing -- analysis. This is the analysis that traditional Republicans would embrace. The current (Bush II) administration apparently did not give half the thought to this matter in all the time leading up to the invasion that Dyer gave to it in writing this book. What a shame! Read it if you thought this war was about oil. It gives the lie to that canard. This war is, more than anything else, about hubris and economic spoils for megacorporations. So many brave, irreplaceable, and fundamentally decent American soldiers are paying for this folly.

Why we are in Iraq.

Not emotional. Treats the people that he is writing about as intelligent individuals, which most of them are, even if you do not agree with the actions of the individuals. Very enjoyable read. Extremely prescient, considering it was written before the invasion of Iraq.

This book will open your eyes to the causes of Gulf War II

In Canada and around the world, journalist and military historian, Gwynne Dyer, is one of the most respected commentators of international and military affairs. This book is a prime example of his authoritative knowledge of what is going on the world.This book reveals in intriguing detail and the chain of events that have lead the United States to fight a war against Iraq even when the original pretext of 9/11 seems have no connection. In doing so, Dyer notes that the standard antiwar perception of being only about oil is simplistic, since even Iran at its most hostile to the US has never hesitated selling as much oil to it as possible. Rather, Dyer details the combination of US domestic political oppurtunism coupled with the current US administration's obsessions, Israeli diplomatic efforts to maintain US support and US corporate interests that have led to a war most of the world never wanted. Dyer can explain this better than I can and I invite you to explore for yourself.The only drawback is that he fully admits that this book was finished in early Febuary this year and so he could only speculate as the possible consequences to the Iraq War. However, that itself is still intriguing for the paths current events could have taken, or indeed they still might.In other words, if you are tired of the murky spin of Bush and the boys or the kowtowing American media, then this book represents a refreshingly sober and insightful alternative view.