Author(s): Nemir Kirdar

Current Affairs & Politics

In his passionately argued book, Nemir Kirdar inspires hope that Iraq can be rebuilt and can start to generate peace and prosperity in a conflict-prone region. Born in Iraq, he draws on recollections of his early life and shows how, in times past, the country was able to rise above the diverse composition of its populatoin, achieve unity under the rule of law, ensure equality and meritocracy, and strive for economic prosperity. All that ended in 1958 when army conspirators staged a brutal coup d'etat, seized power and drove the nation into a long, dark tunnel of dictatorshop, terror and destruction. Now Nemir Kirdar calls for anew generation of Iraqis to rise up, unlock the potential of their rich nation and achieve world-class standards of health, housing and education for all citizens. His hope is that the country of his birth can become a beacon of democracy, stability and prosperity. To this end, he presents an entire blueprint for political, economic and social renewal. The Iraq of tomorrow, he believes, should be united and secular, able to offer freedom, justice and equal opportunity to all its citizens, irrespective of their ethnic, religious or tribal affiliations.