{"title":"Melvyn P. Leffler","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMelvyn P. Leffler\u003c\/strong\u003e offers incisive explorations into the complexities of international politics and the strategic decisions that shape global relations. His works, such as \u003cem\u003eConfronting Saddam Hussein\u003c\/em\u003e, delve into pivotal moments in 20th-century history, combining rigorous research with compelling narrative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect thoughtful analysis that unpacks the interplay between diplomacy, power, and security. This collection is essential for those interested in understanding the forces that influence contemporary political affairs and historical conflicts.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"confronting-saddam-hussein-by-melvyn-p-leffler-9780197610770","title":"Confronting Saddam Hussein","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA vivid portrayal of what drove George W. Bush to invade Iraq in 2003—an outcome that was in no way predetermined. America's decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003 is arguably the most important foreign policy choice of the entire post-Cold War era. Nearly two decades after the event, it remains central to understanding current international politics and US foreign relations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eConfronting Saddam Hussein\u003c\/em\u003e, the eminent historian of US foreign policy Melvyn P. Leffler analyzes why the US chose war and who was most responsible for the decision. Employing a unique set of personal interviews with dozens of top officials and declassified American and British documents, Leffler vividly portrays the emotions and anxieties that shaped the thinking of the president after the shocking events of 9\/11. He shows how fear, hubris, and power influenced Bush's approach to Saddam Hussein's Iraq.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt the core of Leffler's account is his compelling portrait of Saddam Hussein. Rather than stressing Bush's preoccupation with promoting freedom or democracy, Leffler emphasizes Hussein's brutality, opportunism, and unpredictability and illuminates how the Iraqi dictator's record of aggression and intransigence haunted the president and influenced his calculations. Bush was not eager for war, and the decision to invade Iraq was not a \u003cem\u003efait accompli\u003c\/em\u003e. Yet the president was convinced that only by practicing coercive diplomacy and threatening force could he alter Hussein's defiance, a view shared by British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other leaders around the world, including Hans Blix, the chief UN inspector.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout, Leffler highlights the harrowing anxieties surrounding the decision-making process after the devastating attack on 9\/11 and explains the roles of contingency, agency, rationality, and emotion. As the book unfolds, Bush's centrality becomes more and more evident, as does the bureaucratic dysfunctionality that contributed to the disastrous occupation of Iraq.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA compelling reassessment of George W. Bush's intervention in Iraq, \u003cem\u003eConfronting Saddam Hussein\u003c\/em\u003e provides a provocative reinterpretation of the most important international event of the 21st century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47933933060332,"sku":"9780197610770","price":82.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780197610770-confronting-saddam-hussein.jpg?v=1783885361"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/melvyn-p-leffler.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}