A superb guide for the rebirth of the great civilization of Iraq by one who knows the country, its history, and its culture intimately. It’s all here: how to resuscitate the judicial system, the army, the economy even the cinema. Lucid, balanced, and wise.” -- R. James Woolsey, former director of Central Intelligence.
“For all the continuing debate about the dangerous present and indeterminate future of Iraq, there has been no analysis of that nation’s history and actual potential for transformation into a just society that comes close to Joseph Braude’s crucially illuminating book, The New Iraq. He is a scholar, a humanist, and a realist.” -- Nat Hentoff
“Combining sensitive description of centuries of history with vivid eyewitness reports on the present, Braude offers a fascinating, horrifying yet hopeful description of Iraq.” -- Ernest May, Professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government, and author of The Kennedy Tapes: Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis
“A welcome departure from the usual discussion of contemporary conflicts and disputes in the Middle East… Braude comes to his subject with personal experience and empathy. He knows the languages, has lived and eaten with the residents, has thought long and hard about past achievements and future possibilities. A must for those who want to understand.” -- David Landes, Harvard University professor and author of The Wealth and Poverty of Nations
“As a writer and player of Oud, the author moves softly back and forth, between the greatness of the past and the graveness of the present, from the brutality of Saddam to the beauty of Iraq. It is a lyrics tribute to the Iraqis of the future.” -- Ali Salem, Egyptian playwright