Iraq: The Bradt Travel Guide

I read this book by chance, it's title grabbed my attention. Why on earth would anyone be crazy enough to travel to Iraq (other than journalists / aid workers / soldiers)? I searched hard to find the usual travel-guide fodder: How to get into the city, what to see, where to eat, where to stay. Instead, a large chunk of the book was given over to detailing life under sanctions. And it was done in a sensitive way. No-one who has researched Iraq thoroughly enough to write a travel-guide could do any different.As i read, I wondered why the author had done this. Travellers don't want to read a comment of the life of Iraqis under sanctions. Or do they? Surely, anyone crazy enough to go to Iraq, and risk their life by entering a land which has been under daily bombardment for 12 years (ruled by a dictator, and now by a military occupation), would be going BECAUSE they want to see for themselves what they see every day on the news.It is thin on hotels, and restaurants, not because the author didn't think it was important, but because Iraq itself was thin on hotels and restaurants. The sanctions killed many Iraqis, and forced more than half of the (formerly wealthy) population below the poverty line. Iraqis struggled to survive, rather than manage restaurants. The almost dead tourist industry further limited the number of hotels/restuarants.Overall this book is a great guide to Iraq, better than any Political book. It focusses heavily on the life under sanctions, and now military occupation not because the author wants a political platform, but because the sanctions / occupation have DEFINED Iraq (more than any historical sights) over the last 12 years.

To my knowledge, Bradt's Iraq is the only currently available travel guide for this troubled land. It is CLEARLY written with sympathy for the Iraqi people and culture, and for me, this unexpected but effective undertone has served to help bring a human dimension to the populace of this "Axis of Evil" member nation. In my personal opinion, U.S. military personnel and our allies (if any still exist) in the coming potential conflict will find this book valuable not only for its introduction to the Iraqi culture, geography and tourist attractions, but also because it puts a real "face" on the Iraqi people. In the end, THEY aren't the problem - Hussein and his cronies are. Whether she intended to or not, and despite her liberal undertones, the author effectively communicated this point. In that sense, the timing couldn't be better.If you are anticipating an all-expense-paid trip to the region in the near future - try to get your hands on a copy of this book and read it. I think you'll be glad you did.Godspeed and a safe journey, if the time comes.