Saddam's Bombmaker: The Daring Escape of the Man Who Built Iraq's Secret Weapon

Convinced he had discovered that Iraq was only ` a few inches' away from finishing a successful production of the `Bomb', the author suddenly summoned undocumented story about 1) his contribution to the `bomb's project' from initial stages, and another 2) by alluding to IBM not able to sell Iraq up to date technology. On page 141 he refers to IBM "couldn't sell us their new mainframe because of the export controls." The truth of the matter is that the Arab Boycott Office had narrated a statement, called the `negative' (or Nasty) clause, to the effect that `carriers and ships carrying goods destined to and/or from the Arab Countries, should NOT pass through or deal with Israeli ports". The Boycott Clause (stereotyped as is) was to be mentioned on the Bills of Lading and on all related shipping documents. IBM had to comply with the USA anti Boycott regulations that did not accept such `negative' statements.

Dr. Hamza's book was downright amazing. I read this book over the summer in less than 2 days. This book has given me new insight into the conflict with Iraq, and how it should be handled. And, coming from a chief Iraqi nuclear scientist, it all seems to be the shocking truth, especially the part about testing an Iraqi nuclear device directly on Israel. I was amazed at every point of this book. His daring escape was truly awe inspiring. Needless to say, I loved this book.

Wow, what a page-turner, and timely too. Even though this book came out in 2000, it's message is surely more important now with possible upcoming action against Iraq. If anyone is still on the fence about whether Saddam presents a global threat to freedom and safety, the info in this book should prove most enlightening. I was tentative about reading it, thinking it would be a dry and boring nuclear technology manual, but in reality it is so well and easily written I could not put it down. Hollywood's action pictures pale in comparison. And I will never watch the news the same again!

This is a terrific book on several levels. First,it's a riveting account of life inside Saddam Hussein's Iraq, a country run on fear, and a chilling look at his campaign to develop nuclear weapons -- an arsenal that he intends to use someday. But the book is also a deeply personal story of Dr. Hamza's journey out of madness. This is a fascinating tale, rich in detail, about his evolution from the dictator's most important scientist to a whistleblowing defector whose warnings about Saddam's plans are only now gaining the audience they deserve. But no dry academic tome or meditative memoir here -- this is a well-written, fast-paced thriller with a surprising twist or turn around every corner. The account of Hamza's flight to freedom, complete with dueling dissident groups, bumbling secret agents and dangerous border crossings, fairly crackles off the page and by itself is worth the price of admission. One other point: another reviewer in these pages expressed some skepticism about Dr. Hamza's story. This was more than a little puzzling. Dr. Hamza has been vetted by the CIA, the Pentagon and the State Department, all of which have attested to his bona fides. I wonder whether Dr. Hamza, having survived the terrors of Saddam's regime and lived to tell his story, will now face an assault on his credibility from sources whose own motives are open to question. All in all, a great read that you'll think about -- and talk about -- long after the book is back on the shelf.

from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, October 16, 2000*:"[The authors] keen sense of pacing (balancing personal memoir with political history) and clear and vivid writing serve to indict Iraq under Saddam, painting a detailed and convincing portrait of what it's like to live in a country under a violent dictator where there is no viable opposition or independent judiciary. . . Hamza recalls colleagues who were tortured and killed, and doctors weeping as they told him of being forced to watch the killings of Shiites, who Saddam feared politically, or the gassing of Kurds, designed both to eliminate this minority and to test biological weapons. . .Forecast: Hamza was featured in an article in the New York Times Magazine on Oct. 2 and this book will get widely reviewed. Hamza's urgent message about how close Saddam is to completing a nuclear weapon makes the book not only newsworthy but of the broadest interest to a wide spectrum of readers concerned about the fate of the world in the nuclear age