The threatening storm : the case for invading Iraq / Kenneth M. Pollack

The definitive and timely account of the growing conflict between the United States and Iraq, and the case for an invasion of Baghdad, by a former CIA analyst and National Security Council staffer who is one of the world's leading experts on the subject. As the conflict in Afghanistan winds down, the question of what the United States should do about Iraq has risen to the forefront of American foreign policy. Hawks argue that toppling Saddam Hussein should be phase two in the war on terrorism, while those who pass for doves in the mainstream debate point to the difficulty of such an undertaking and argue that the goal of America's Iraq policy should be to revive UN weapons inspections and reenergize containment. In THE THREATENING STORM, Kenneth Pollack analyses the strategic, political and military forces at work in both countries, on the ground in Iraq and behind closed doors in Washington. Drawing from his seven years as Persian Gulf analyst for the CIA, Pollack offers an expert perspective on Iraq's military capabilities, Saddam Hussein, and relations with neighbouring Arab States. Pollack also examines the Bush administration's options in addressing the Iraqi threat. His conclusion: the United States should invade Iraq, eliminate the present regime, and pave the way for a successor prepared to abide by its international commitments and live in peace with its neighbours. THE THREATENING STORM is full of commanding insights and information on how leaders from both sides will make crucial decisions in what may be the most decisive foreign policy issue in the coming year and beyond.