The first history of the Iraq War. The Iraq War has stirred and divided America and the world more than any other military conflict since Vietnam. Stephan Bierling's well-researched account provides the first comprehensive overview of the war, from its dramatic background to the overthrow of Saddam and the disastrous post-war planning, up to the current situation. His book clearly illustrates how the Bush administration, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, became increasingly embroiled in the war against Iraq through a mix of alarmism, self-deception, and fantasies of omnipotence, while its two main justifications for the invasion—the alleged production of weapons of mass destruction and Saddam's conspiracy with Al-Qaeda—lacked any concrete basis. Bierling chillingly depicts the extent of American incompetence even at the highest levels.