The Achilles Trap

Saddam Hussein, the C.I.A., and the Origins of America's Invasion of Iraq

By: Steve Coll

Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner

Length: 17 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

“Excellent . . . A more intimate picture of the dictator’s thinking about world politics, local power and his relationship to the United States than has been seen before.”—The New York Times

“Another triumph from one of our best journalists.”—The Washington Post

"Voluminously researched and compulsively readable."—Air Mail

From bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steve Coll, the definitive story of the decades-long relationship between the United States and Saddam Hussein, and a deeply researched and news-breaking investigation into how human error, cultural miscommunication, and hubris led to one of the costliest geopolitical conflicts of our time

When the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, its message was clear: Iraq, under the control of strongman Saddam Hussein, possessed weapons of mass destruction that, if left unchecked, posed grave danger to the world. But when no WMDs were found, the United States and its allies were forced to examine the political and intelligence failures that had led to the invasion and the occupation, and the civil war that followed. One integral question has remained unsolved: Why had Saddam seemingly sacrificed his long reign in power by giving the false impression that he had hidden stocks of dangerous weapons?

The Achilles Trap masterfully untangles the people, ploys of power, and geopolitics that led to America’s disastrous war with Iraq and, for the first time, details America’s fundamental miscalculations during its decades-long relationship with Saddam Hussein. Beginning with Saddam’s rise to power in 1979 and the birth of Iraq’s secret nuclear weapons program, Steve Coll traces Saddam’s motives by way of his inner circle. He brings to life the diplomats, scientists, family members, and generals who had no choice but to defer to their leader—a leader directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, as well as the torture or imprisonment of hundreds of thousands more. This was a man whose reasoning was impossible to reduce to a simple explanation, and the CIA and successive presidential administrations failed to grasp critical nuances of his paranoia, resentments, and inconsistencies—even when the stakes were incredibly high.

Calling on unpublished and underreported sources, interviews with surviving participants, and Saddam’s own transcripts and audio files, Coll pulls together an incredibly comprehensive portrait of a man who was convinced the world was out to get him and acted accordingly. A work of great historical significance, The Achilles Trap is the definitive account of how corruptions of power, lies of diplomacy, and vanity—on both sides—led to avoidable errors of statecraft, ones that would enact immeasurable human suffering and forever change the political landscape as we know it.

©2024 Steve Coll (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“The Achilles Trap presents Hussein as a human being, not a caricature. Coll’s book, relying as it often does on newly translated Iraqi documents, couldn’t have been written back when it might have hindered a war. But it succeeds because of Coll’s willingness to reexamine the mutually reinforcing delusions of Hussein and four U.S. administrations . . . Hussein’s miscalculations were ultimately fatal. But at times he showed insight, and Coll is gambling that an American audience is now ready to hear about it . . . [A]nother triumph from one of our best journalists.” —Washington Post

“[R]ichly detailed . . . The Achilles Trap—the title is a reference to the code name given to a covert CIA effort to topple Saddam—is a compelling tale even for those steeped in the sordid history of US-Iraqi relations . . . Coll’s narrative is also filled with refreshingly contrarian takes on what otherwise seems like settled history . . . By the book’s end, the 2003 invasion feels almost like a disastrous but inevitable coda.” —Financial Times

“[E]xcellent . . . [A]n engrossing portrait of Hussein, which is drawn from interviews with U.S. officials, U.N. weapons inspectors and surviving members of the dictator’s government as well as what Coll calls the Saddam tapes . . . The resulting details he assembles give a more intimate picture of the dictator’s thinking about world politics, local power and his relationship to the United States than has been seen before . . . The new material captures a trained assassin and rural tribesman who could be sharp and worldly, but was more often erratic and paranoid . . . Unlike his main character, Coll succeeds in part because he has an eye for dramatic irony . . . ‘Narcissism is dangerous and can cost a man the opportunity to be wise,’ Coll quotes him saying. Saddam Hussein failed to understand that he might as well have been talking about himself.” —New York Times Book Review

Time lines about sadam’s life

Very simplifies the issue about complex subject like Iraq I wish he went into details more feel like he tried to make American readers understand subject instead of trying to make a detailed points

Amazing history

Great book, awesome insight into US policy and diplomacy, presidential thinking, and the hubris that comes along with it.

We are all better off without Sadam, but the cost of getting rid of him, and the self delusion to justify it, makes you wonder if it was worth it.

The book does not provide an answer, but it does provide great questions

Very well written. Throughly explained

Outstanding. Touched on it briefly in the epilogue, but hope he releases a sequel on the US war in Iraq and its lasting consequences

Excellent

very good narrative of a complex story, presented in a lively way that keeps the reader engaged

Odyssey of a story

Wonderful retelling of the long story that ended with the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Which started its own odyssey. Highlights the cast of characters that kept circling around each other for decades and the misunderstanding, ignorance, and hubris on both sides.

Steve does it again !!!

Excellent story telling - great pace delivered multiple perspectives with previously unknown details. Incredible read (I listened to be fair). Steve the goat!

This is the best book I’ve ever read!

This is an amazing book. I’m an avid reader and have read many books on Middle East politics, wars, history, and religion. Additionally, I follow US-Middle East relations. Furthermore, I was born there and witnessed the Iran-Iraq war. This is the best book I’ve ever read!

Great book

Loved this book. Just like all other Coll’s books this is one well researched book.

Excellent

Listening to the audiobook was like reliving events I experienced while living in Iraq up until December 2022, when I left! It is one of the best-written books that truly captures not only the history of Iraq prior to the 2003 unjustified invasion but also paints a clear picture of how the average Mohammad lived his life in that era! Well done, Mr. Coll.

Outstanding!

Thorough and engaging account of Saddam Hussein relationship with US. I was not bored at any point. It almost read like fiction except unfortunately it was real events. One of my favorite historical books of all times!