Saddam's Word

Reviews / Votes

Bengio provides an insightful look at how yet another dictator uses ... propaganda tools to advantage. * Military Review * [Bengio] has written the most important book on Baathi Iraq since Kanan Makiya's Republic of Fear (published in 1989 under the pseudonym of Samir al-Khalil). Her well-written, easily accessible yet sophisticated analysis of political language makes a major contribution to our understanding of contemporary Iraq. * Middle East Policy * Anyone who doubts the corrupting effects of totalitarianism on political language--if such a person could exist at the end of our century of totalitarianisms--should read this book. Bengio . . . has compiled exhaustive evidence from the Iraqi sources to show how the Ba'thist regine in general and Saddam Hussein in particular have debased the political vocabulary of Iraq . . . * Political Science Quarterly * It is refreshing to read an English-language book on a Middle Eastern topic that relies largely on Arabic sources rather than Western or Israeli ones. The book is unique, delving into previously uncharted waters. * Perspectives on Political Science *