The Achilles Trap: Saddam H ussein, the CIA and the Origins of America's Invasion of Iraq.

Avi Shlaim's memoir, "Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab-Jew," recounts his family's forced exile from Iraq to Israel in 1950. Shlaim argues that Israel and Zionist leaders took advantage of rising anti-Jewish sentiment in the region to intimidate Arab Jews into relocating to Israel. He criticizes the Zionist movement for uprooting Jews who had peacefully lived in Iraq for generations. Shlaim advocates for a one democratic state in the region, with equal rights for all citizens. Steve Coll's book, "The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA and the Origins of America's Invasion of Iraq," explores the complex relationship between Saddam Hussein and the United States. Coll examines the mutual miscalculations that led to the First Gulf War and the US invasion of Iraq, using firsthand interviews and access to Hussein's discussions with his inner circle. He highlights the US's support for the Ba'athist regime and its ignorance of Hussein's thinking. The text discusses the relationship between the United States and Iraq, particularly during the reign of Saddam Hussein. It highlights Hussein's distrust of the United States and his belief in conspiracy theories, such as the Iran-Contra affair. The text also mentions Hussein's occupation of Kuwait and the resulting U.S.-led military intervention. It concludes by discussing the intelligence blackout in the U.S. and the false intelligence used to justify the invasion of Iraq. [Extracted from the article]