Iraq, Inc.: A Profitable Occupation

Written by award-winning investigative journalist Pratap Chatterjee, Iraq, Inc.: A Profitable Occupation is a scathing indictment of how the American occupation has proven immensely enriching to private corporations - at the expense of American taxpayers and the freedom, safety, and economic stability of the Iraqi people. Chapters discuss the scams and frauds involved in reconstruction, the constant threatening presence of military men, militiamen, and civilians with guns, and the questionable and arguably unstable "shadow government" being set up. The author concludes his words in July of 2004, in fear of the future of Iraq. America and Iraq both need desperately to grapple with the difficult issues and outright larceny in order to promote the transformation of Iraq as a place where people can live without fear, and seek their destiny without the burdens of economic poverty or the hovering threat of violence. A "must-read" expose for anyone studying the recent war in Iraq and its aftermath.

I worked in Baghdad for an NGO outside the "green zone" and later worked for a British contractor that bid for reconstruction projects in Iraq on the basis there'd always be substantial Iraqi participation in all projects and decision-making. Chatterjee's Iraq, Inc is a well-researched, fair analysis of the deep involvement of big business and vested interests in the post-invasion management of Iraq, and provides striking insight as to why the last two years of occupation have gone disastrously wrong for both the US occupation authorities and the Iraqi people. Nothing in this book contradicts my experience of the sad implosion of post-invasion Iraq, changing Iraqi attitudes to the occupation and the reconstruction gravy train. A must read for those who want to understand where management of the post-war period has gone wrong; and for current green-zone employees who still haven't quite appreciated what they've contributed to in their blinded, do-gooding pompousness. A fascinating and sometimes (sadly) comic read.

Everyone knows that war is evil, deadly, horrible, etc. However, what some may not know is that war is also very mercenary - much of war is about a relatively few making huge amounts of money. The author writes a book explaining the war profiteering and corruption behind the war in Iraq. The author recently did an author event on C-Span2 BookTV which was very enlightening and added to the information in the book.

The recent 'war' in Iraq is a textbook example of corrupt government. An administration front-loaded with many oil industry executives sent American soldiers to invade a sovereign country using fabricated evidence. The only freedom we were interested in was attempting to ensure that America would have a free oil supply. Even after UN data revealed there were no WMD's, we quickly transformed a disarmament mandate into a regime change. Many of the same people who would be howling with anger if America's self-determination rights were similarly breached became oddly silent when we decided for ourselves that Iraq needed new (and more pro-American) leadership. We have now reluctantly learned that the Iraqi's themselves were not happy to live under an American colonial government (regardless of what we were calling it). While we were talking about 'democracy' and 'freedom', we were preventing the Iraqi people from deciding if they actually wanted us in their own country. Not doubting that Saddam was a brutal dictator, I question whether the Iraq policies of the Bush regime were any more humane.

Modern day muckraking at its best. The author is able to maintain his integrity while providing engaging report of the true details of corruption and war profiteering, that you aren't going to find anywhere else. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in the conflict for an insightful account of Iraq's harsh realities.