Product Description

‘INSTANT BOOK’ PUTS KIBOSH ON BUSH ADMIN’S WAR OF CONVENIENCE

In an "instant book" entitled War On Iraq author William Rivers Pitt talks to former Marine and U.N. weapons inspector Scott Ritter (a self-described conservative Republican) and debunks the key arguments for war with Iraq. These are: that Iraq has a viable stockpile of weapons of mass destruction and will soon have nuclear capabilities, that Saddam Hussein is an ally of Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, and that any new Iraqi regime would be friendlier to the West than Hussein's.

War On Iraq argues that, unlike the televised in-and-out Persian Gulf War, the current conflict will cause heavy casualties on both sides, the destabilization of the Middle East, and a terrible backlash of terrorist attacks on the United States. Scott Ritter argues that a war on Iraq will give rise "to exactly the kind of Islam vs. the West al Qaeda sought when it attacked the World Trade Center a year ago."

The book offers a non-partisan analysis of the current situation, including a brief history, and conducts a pointed interview with former U.N. weapons inspector Scott Ritter to dismantle the myths about Iraq’s present weapons program and to uncover the neo-conservative forces behind the White House’s fixation on Iraq.

War on Iraq argues that the threatened conflict will be playing into the hand of Osama bin Laden (who would like to see Saddam Hussein deposed as much as the Bush administration) and that any attack at this moment in history would be both unprovoked and illegal. It then lays down the framework for a reasonable, informed debate. The book closes with a stark forecast for American troops if a ground war ensues and urges the nation’s leaders to seek a diplomatic solution before it is too late.

• Weapons of mass destruction unlikely
• No tie between Al Qaeda and Hussein
• The problems with regime change
• Possible devastating consequences of going to war

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #659479 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
War on Iraq consists of a small introduction detailing the recent history of Iraq and Western intervention in the country and then a 50-page interview with ex-weapons inspector Scott Ritter (carried out by William Rivers Pitt). It is a testament to such a small (79 pages) book that after reading it one, in some sense, feels that one has read a full and detailed account of the issues and, perhaps more importantly, a considered refutation of the excuses, exaggerations, misunderstandings and lies that make up far too much of the media froth helping to push us all into a war that Ritter, for one, thinks could be hugely dangerous. Ritter knows more about the recent history of Iraq than most anyone else having for seven years been part of the UN weapons inspectorate team that was charged with finding and destroying weapons of mass destruction inside Saddam's Iraq. This team was kicked out of Iraq when it became clear the US were indeed using the UN teams to gather intelligence.

Ritter makes it perfectly clear that his position concerning Iraq is not ideological--he is a card-carrying Republican after all and an ex-marine which immediately suggests he can not really be described as a liberal pacifist! He simply suggests that the excuses being given for the drive to war have not and can not be corroborated. This is an explosive little book and those who oppose any and all wars or those who support them would do well to see if they can respond to Ritter's challenges. --Mark Thwaite

The Observer Review, September 2002
Paperback of the Week:
Ritter offers an alternative take on the intelligence evidence. This is a brave and important book.

The Guardian Review, October 2002
Non-Fiction book of the week:
Though it went to press before Tony Blair's dossier was unveiled, the force of this book's arguments is hardly diminished.

Customer Reviews

This book will show some gruesome thruth�s!
This is one of the most intriguing works I have read on the Middle East policies we as the general public have to (or will eventually have to)deal with. It goes deep into the underbelly on the mechanisms that drive foreign policies in US politics and explains clearly why certain facts happen the way they do. The author is an ex US weapons inspector who after seeing all the inconsistencies in the behavior of the US and UN governments has resigned from his position to write about what really goes on behind the scenes of the most powerful institutions of the world.
When you next watch the news it will make a lot more sense however be warned the book reveals some scary topics!

What team Bush dont want you to know
I have just finished this book. Ive been following the current situation in Iraq for a very long time and im glad to say that this book is very up-to-date. However its a very very short and small book...74 pages long and almost literally a pocket book.

Plenty of facts; the modern history of Iraq leading up to its current political situation. Just FYI the book wasnt actually written by Scott Ritter himself as he is only used as a source; a recent interview (Q&A session) with him covers 70% of the book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who's been following current events and would like to get some background info on the Iraq Crisis. The book is very informative and does shed alot of light on the poticis of the situation where the global media seems to be lacking. Well worth the [the price].

Tell's us what the majority of the media does not.
This book is one that I think everyone should read- whether they buy it or borrow it from a libary. It does not take very long to read, but its content is paramount to the upcoming war in Iraq. Whichever side of the debate you are from (guess where I stand...), this book details facts about Iraq that the majority of the Press & the other forms of media ('News' channels such as BBC24, CNN, FOX, SKY) largely cover with a notion of balance. Perhaps a look at the upcoming Noam Chomsky book will make most realise that the media is in cahoots with the establishment: big business, governments that are meant to represent us...

Ritter has become a bugaboo for the US administration- a man who comes from a HAWK-background, but whose experience has made him detail an inconsistency in US Foreign Policy. The last week or so have found him the subject of C.R.E.E.P.- style character assassanation- with an arrest (but no subsequent charge or verdict)being mysteriously released from sealed documents. Note how the associations of the arrest are meant to weaken Ritter's case here. 21st Century McCarthyism?- anyway, Ritter was arrested once, the case eventually dropped. George W. Bush Jnr. has been arrested THREE times, with the cases dropped- so let's see what character assassantion could be like, if the press looked with any balance at those in power...

As with books like 9/11 & The Day That Shook the World, War on Iraq is a vital book- one that is good value & to the point. It makes clear what the Weapons Inspections are about & how prior inspections have been scuppered by US-spying as much as Hussein's war games. It does not make the case that Sadaam is a nice guy- it offers a rationale look at something that media & politicians largely fail to look at (apologies to Channel 4 News). This is why Ritter has become such an Alger Hiss style target; a book that should be read by at least all Americans & British- as these are the nations currently gearing up for another war on Iraq...