The Green Zone, Baghdad, 2003: in this walled-off compound of swimming pools and luxurious amenities, Paul Bremer and his Coalition Provisional Aut...
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Apr 01, 2007
Megan
rated it: 
The short take: bad organizational structure and writing that is really just mediocre journalistic prose.
Although Chandrasekaran begins with a narrative "I," he never really identifies himself, and then launches into details about things like relationships between State department members and Pentagon members back in Washington, making one wonder where the information is coming from. There is little direct quotation, and his presentation and interpretation of events are so mixed More...
Although Chandrasekaran begins with a narrative "I," he never really identifies himself, and then launches into details about things like relationships between State department members and Pentagon members back in Washington, making one wonder where the information is coming from. There is little direct quotation, and his presentation and interpretation of events are so mixed More...
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Dec 17, 2009
Rick
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A brilliant satire on the occupation of a Middle Eastern country....well it would be, if it weren't true. This gives the reader a fairly shocking insight into the incompetency, arrogance and corruption involved in the Iraq occupation.
The Coalition Provisional Authority sets up shop in one of Saddam's palaces and creates a little bubble of Americana called the Green Zone surrounded by a Baghdad teetering on and, subsequently, falling into an abyss.
The author, Rajiv Chandr More...
The Coalition Provisional Authority sets up shop in one of Saddam's palaces and creates a little bubble of Americana called the Green Zone surrounded by a Baghdad teetering on and, subsequently, falling into an abyss.
The author, Rajiv Chandr More...
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Oct 04, 2008
Will
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Baghdad’s Green Zone is a world unto itself, with its own power supply, water, restaurants. One need never leave, and many never do. The author describes the separateness of the place but uses that as a base from which to foray out to related subjects. Some of his examples are particularly poignant. One enterprising fellow built a pizzeria just outside the compound, only to discover that the Americans all eat inside. He talks much about the plague of outsourcing and how it resulted in oddities l
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Jun 28, 2008
Shane
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I knew the war was hatched by a fantasy driven cabal, but this book really laid it out in detail. It's an interesting contrast to another book I recently read, titled "Muqtada," by Patrick Cockburn. Cockburn's book deals with the Iraq almost exclusively from the standpoint of (anti-U.S.) Iraqi Shias. This book deals with the war almost exclusively from the standpoint of the U.S. crew than ran Iraq up until the elections in 2005. Both compliment each other well.
The gist of More...
The gist of More...
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Jun 10, 2008
Bear
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This book was well done; however, a lot of focus was on the negative. MSM tends to already be trying to drag down what is going on there; Not saying it's all rosy, but as a retired Military person, I know exactly what the cost is in combat and "occupation" force, and really would like to see someone not use this war (and that's what it is) for political badgering because you don't like how the administration is doing things, so much as an opportunity to observe and report and let smar
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Jan 21, 2008
David
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Written by the former Baghdad bureau chief of the Washington Post, this book is simply what he saw in Iraq between the "end" of combat in 2003 and Paul Bremer's ignominious departure in 2004. Mostly what he sees is the complete mismanagement of basic postwar planning; the first raised, then dashed, hopes of Iraqis who have already suffered through the destructive rule of Saddam Hussein; and the arrogant approach of American political appointees, institutions and companies that are in
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Jul 08, 2007
Don
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This is primarily a collection of anecdotes of the tenure of the Coalition Provisional Authority under Bremer in Iraq, and to a lesser extent the shorter tenure of Jay Garner preceding the CPA. The purpose of the book is to illustrate how badly the U.S. screwed up the occupation of Iraq. While a few of the anecdotes don't strike me as being nearly as negative as the author colors them, on balance this book basically makes one ill, just by emphasizing how badly we were served by our government.
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Jan 01, 2012
Frederick
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This book describes the year or so (April '2003 - June '2004) that the US was occupying Iraq and running the country. It was written by a Washington Post reporter who spent the entire time there covering the war. It describes life inside the Green Zone, the part of Baghdad where the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) was headquartered. For the first month or so of the occupation the place was run by Jay Garner. After that it was fun by Paul Bremer, who the author derisively calls 'viceroy'. T
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Aug 06, 2011
Amanda
rated it:
Extremely readable and engaging, this book uses minute details and summaries to create a comedy of errors and a tradgedy at the same time. I hate to be like a college freshman in a poli sci class quoting Michael Moore, so I'm kind of hesitant to rave, but I really liked the book and felt like I learned a lot from reading it. I honestly don't know enough about Iraqi politics and culture or the American occupation to have sound judgment on the issue. Normally I would read something from the opp
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Jun 26, 2011
Ms.pegasus
rated it:
Rajiv Chandrasekaran's book is journalism at its best, and the loss will be irreparable if newspaper journalists fade into extinction. The Emerald City is an image reminiscent of the Raj – Americans relaxing around a swimming pool, in a 7 square mile enclave, enjoying drinks, eating American food, relaxing in clean clothing in the middle of Baghdad. The segregation from the real Iraq was genuine; the relaxed lifestyle an illusion. The occupation of Iraq brought a flood of ill-prepared, ideali
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Sep 25, 2010
Carly
rated it:
I started reading on a Friday night and could not put it down until on reaching page 274 I simply couldn't keep my eyes open.
This is a shocking, damning picture of the idealogically driven attempts of the Coalition Provisional Authority to rebuild Iraq after the fall of Sadaam Hussein. The utter naivity of some at the highest levels is sad, but unforgivably there is also deliberate refusal to engage with the country's actual situation in lieu of creating a utopian America of the Midd More...
This is a shocking, damning picture of the idealogically driven attempts of the Coalition Provisional Authority to rebuild Iraq after the fall of Sadaam Hussein. The utter naivity of some at the highest levels is sad, but unforgivably there is also deliberate refusal to engage with the country's actual situation in lieu of creating a utopian America of the Midd More...
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Feb 02, 2010
Daniel
rated it:
Alternate Titles for this book could have been:
1. How not to rebuild a nation you just bombed the sh*t out of
2. How to F*ck up everything you touch, the Neocon way
3. Corruption, cronyism and good old fashioned incompetence on an unforeseen scale
4. Southern Efficiency in the Middle East
5. A Confederacy of Dunces
6. Beavis and Butthead Do Iraq
You get the message. In other words, if 10% of what Chandasekaran writes is 10% true, then this was the More...
1. How not to rebuild a nation you just bombed the sh*t out of
2. How to F*ck up everything you touch, the Neocon way
3. Corruption, cronyism and good old fashioned incompetence on an unforeseen scale
4. Southern Efficiency in the Middle East
5. A Confederacy of Dunces
6. Beavis and Butthead Do Iraq
You get the message. In other words, if 10% of what Chandasekaran writes is 10% true, then this was the More...
Jan 22, 2010
Steven
rated it:
A review of the book when it first came out a few years back:
Rajiv Chandrasekaran is with the Washington Post; he has spent time in both Afghanistan and Iraq since the American missions in both places. His experiences in Iraq as well as his interviews with those in Iraq during the time of the CPA (Coalition Provisional Authority, under the control of Paul Bremer) and the precursor organization (under Jay Garner)provide important bases for this work. The picture is not pretty, and tie More...
Rajiv Chandrasekaran is with the Washington Post; he has spent time in both Afghanistan and Iraq since the American missions in both places. His experiences in Iraq as well as his interviews with those in Iraq during the time of the CPA (Coalition Provisional Authority, under the control of Paul Bremer) and the precursor organization (under Jay Garner)provide important bases for this work. The picture is not pretty, and tie More...
Dec 02, 2009
It's sometimes tempting to think that, perhaps, the invasion of Iraq could have worked properly if it had been run competently. This is, of course, nonsense. As Naomi Klein documented ably in The Shock Doctrine, destruction was the point; the whole point of the Coalition Provisional Authority was to build off of a blank slate.
A few events early in the occupation had tremendous consequences down the road. The destruction of what infrastructure the country had was catastrophic; the looti More...
A few events early in the occupation had tremendous consequences down the road. The destruction of what infrastructure the country had was catastrophic; the looti More...
Jan 26, 2011
Sean
rated it:
"Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone" by Rajiv Chandraskearan is deeply engrossing account of the American occupation of Iraq after the Second Gulf War from 2003 to 2004. It is a book laden with irony, overwhelming stupidity, and ultimately good but woefully misguided intentions that leaves one disheartened at the failed opportunity to rebuild Iraq after years of war and mismanagement.
I'll admit that I approached this book preparing to be enraged. En More...
I'll admit that I approached this book preparing to be enraged. En More...
Jan 06, 2009
Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone.
Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Publisher’s note:
In this unprecedented account, The Washington Post's former Baghdad bureau chief, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, takes us into the Green Zone, headquarters for
the American occupation in Iraq. In this bubble separated from wartime realities, the task of reconstructing a devastated nation competes with the distractions
of a Little America: a half-dozen bars, a disco, a shop More...
Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Publisher’s note:
In this unprecedented account, The Washington Post's former Baghdad bureau chief, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, takes us into the Green Zone, headquarters for
the American occupation in Iraq. In this bubble separated from wartime realities, the task of reconstructing a devastated nation competes with the distractions
of a Little America: a half-dozen bars, a disco, a shop More...
Feb 05, 2009
Rajiv Chandrasekaran, assistant managing editor of the Washington Post and its former Baghdad bureau chief, knows the landscape in Iraq as well as anyone, having spent two years in-country as a reporter. His careful, evenhanded reportage amplifies the seriousness of the problems that America still faces in Iraq. As Adam Dunn points out, "the Iraqis don't fare much better than their occupiers" under Chandrasekaran's judicious gaze. The book covers ground similar to that of Larry Diamond
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Apr 16, 2009
Sydney
rated it:
Never in all of the years of reading have I been as outraged as I was while reading this book. The matter of fact recitation of the never-ending list of inept post-Iraq war decisions, incompetent staffing, corrupt contractors' waste of now-sorely needed tax dollars caused me fits of apoplexy.
Beyond defeating Saddam there were few other identifiable victories during the period covered by the book. Post-war planning occurred organically, as messes developed strategies were eventually More...
Beyond defeating Saddam there were few other identifiable victories during the period covered by the book. Post-war planning occurred organically, as messes developed strategies were eventually More...
Apr 16, 2008
Eddie
rated it:
I read this during Spring Break. A very informative book. It is kind of depressing to see how the U.S. Government has allowed private contractors carte blanche as well as establishing a bureacracy in the middle of the war zone in Iraq that would compare with any on Capitol Hill. It made this die-hard Conservative wonder about the effectiveness of our involvement in Iraq.
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Apr 01, 2009
Spiros
rated it:
There may, or may not, be a special providence in the fall of a sparrow; I am definitely beginning to feel that there is a divinity that shapes my reading, rough-hew it how I will. How else to account for the progression of the last three books I have read? From Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, running a savage burn on the natives in Vegas, to the Dortmunder Gang, bungling their way through the theft of a Tsarist Chess Set, to what I like to think of as "Milo Minderbinder's War", in which a f
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Feb 21, 2010
Tony
rated it:
I found this book very interesting. It didn't feel like a out and out "hit piece." In my opinion, I felt this was a fair description of what was going on in Iraq after the major offensive. It was very enlightening to read about why it took so long and all the mistakes that were made. I am hopeful that the future generation, or the planners of the aftermath of the next war, will take note of this and not repeat the same mistakes. Each chapter felt like a new discovery and adventure
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Nov 17, 2011
Ken
rated it:
Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran is the most impartial book about America's first year in Iraq that I've found so far. Rajiv spends a lot of time criticizing Bremer, who rightly deserves it because of many of the decisions he made while serving as the Administrator of Iraq. I was in Iraq during the last 6 to 7 months of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and saw the effects of a lot of his decisions first hand. If you're looking to form your own opinion about Iraq
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May 20, 2009
Brigham
rated it:
This book was written early on during the Iraq conflict. Much like the war of its subject, it started out with a clear objective but quickly stepped on itself, got confused and lost its point. While the author is a serious journalist, he never once states his name or position, even though it's written in first person and his opinions come through quite often.
Still, I give it three stars because it's well written and I am better informed about the cluster%#@$ that is the Iraq war. Th More...
Still, I give it three stars because it's well written and I am better informed about the cluster%#@$ that is the Iraq war. Th More...
Aug 20, 2010
Collin
rated it:
This was a really interesting book. i was inspired to read it because of the movie, which may have been more entertaining but really left out a lot of information on how badly the civilian, political handling of the occupation went. This was a collection of first hand accounts written in a streaming fashion. I saw some reviewers complain about this but it wasn't difficult to follow and made for relatively quick read. You really get to know the personality and even the physical appearance of many
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May 02, 2011
Diane
rated it:
Really important book to read to help you understand the beginnings of the occupational government & the meanderings of the creation of a provisional Iraqi government. Provides some hints on what neo-conservatives would do to the US if they could get away with it. On one hand, scary in its audacity, on the other hand with loyalty being more important than competence, reassuring.
Great, factual journalistic style writing. Warning: if you know anyone who served in Iraq during the years cove More...
Great, factual journalistic style writing. Warning: if you know anyone who served in Iraq during the years cove More...
Oct 18, 2010
Tracy
rated it:
Didn't make it through this. I'm looking for some entertainment at the moment. I got it because I liked the movie "Green Zone". I liked the writing, but it is kind of old news.
As the daughter of a veteran, I feel extremely grateful for our military personnel's service in Iraq, and our other wars. Yet, I find it hard to get invested in a discussion about Iraq at this point. I'm kind of disillusioned that anything I think will make any difference at all. I'd like to see all ou More...
As the daughter of a veteran, I feel extremely grateful for our military personnel's service in Iraq, and our other wars. Yet, I find it hard to get invested in a discussion about Iraq at this point. I'm kind of disillusioned that anything I think will make any difference at all. I'd like to see all ou More...
Oct 28, 2009
Jonathan
rated it:
I originally saw this author on the daily show and had meant to read this book a while ago. It details what the situation was like inside the Green Zone during the US occupation of Iraq. The author had fantastic access to the Green Zone, which is where nearly all of the US staff lived during the occupation and rarely ventured outside of it, if at all. If you are interesting in this area, its a great. It focuses on the situation and realities in Iraq, and not nearly as much what was going on
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Oct 12, 2010
well the book defines the truth behind the war.It reveals the politician impact of power and technology on such a small country for just their means.I don't know the truth but the content in the book makes that if such a thing done for no reason or reason for their purpose of gain, then it was something like that who has power has their words and it has to believe by the rest but truth never hides.I really likes the author who made that, who proves that truth can't be hide ever.The wrong intenti
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May 10, 2011
Arlie
rated it:
Depressing and very interesting. Especially on the heels of Riverbend's 'Baghdad Burning'. It was good to read another perspective of the same events - and see what they agreed on. (Among others: Halliburton's greed, unnecessary violence, the questionable character of Ahmed Chalabi...) What Riverbend hadn't included was the economic state in which Saddam had left the country - driven into debt and inefficiency by doling out deals to cronies and avoiding maintenance in areas of public utility. Al
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Aug 15, 2010
Corina
rated it:
THIS BOOK MADE ME SO FREAKING MAD. so horribly, terribly, impotently MAD at how we've handled everything in iraq. strongly written, with very little objectivity (i think, anyway), because the facts are enough.
it can be a bit confusing at times (crazy-ridiculous amount of names, not a lot of help on chandrasekaran's part w/keeping them all straight), but i'd just recommend not making this a beach book. it's too much to space out over a lot of sittings - you'll forget everything and go More...
it can be a bit confusing at times (crazy-ridiculous amount of names, not a lot of help on chandrasekaran's part w/keeping them all straight), but i'd just recommend not making this a beach book. it's too much to space out over a lot of sittings - you'll forget everything and go More...
