Why read The Achilles Trap?

Book cover of The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the C.I.A., and the Origins of America's Invasion of Iraq

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“Excellent . . . A more intimate picture of the dictator’s thinking about world politics, local power and his relationship to the United States than has been seen before.” —The New York Times

“Another triumph from one of our best journalists.” —The Washington Post

"Voluminously researched and compulsively readable." —Air…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Achilles Trap as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Vassily Klimentov

Author

Steve Coll is known for writing masterful nonfiction books about the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy. This one is no exception. It provides a gripping look into the history of Saddam Hussein's relation with the United States. Relying on American and Iraqi original documents, Coll explains how Saddam Hussein became America's enemy number one after 1990. In addition to brilliantly describing the geopolitical environment, Coll provides the reader with a detailed account of Saddam's personality and mindset. He paints the mesmerizing picture of a brutal dictator who used chemical weapons against his own population and attacked neighbors, and was…

From Vassily's 3 favorite reads in 2024.