The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the C.I.A., and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq

Wilson Center NOW

In this edition of Wilson Center NOW, we speak with Steve Coll, editor at the Economist, author, and a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. He discusses his latest book, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/602066/the-achilles-trap-by-steve-coll/. Click or tap if you trust this link." href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguinrandomhouse.com%2Fbooks%2F602066%2Fthe-achilles-trap-by-steve-coll%2F&data=05%7C02%7CShaarona.Harris%40wilsoncenter.org%7C0d4e644d23624373532508dc3f7cafd7%7C84dfdf3abb4140edb7319f6cc84e7d91%7C0%7C0%7C638455051970080874%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=c8MlqEs3clBYxPLkbO%2F%2FEoxLwaTvaPbzu%2FfFANoceXI%3D&reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer">“The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq.” The author uncovered unpublished and underreported sources, conducted interviews with surviving participants, and obtained Saddam’s own transcripts and audio files, to create "the definitive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." The author has donated many of the assets he used to research the book to the https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAi6uvBhADEiwAWiyRdqDFqfB15viReEI7b2kqVSeKhSKcYOCUrZomtqIihLDNnvQor0nN1hoCeZYQAvD_BwE. Click or tap if you trust this link." href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdigitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org%2F%3Fgad_source%3D1%26gclid%3DCjwKCAiAi6uvBhADEiwAWiyRdqDFqfB15viReEI7b2kqVSeKhSKcYOCUrZomtqIihLDNnvQor0nN1hoCeZYQAvD_BwE&data=05%7C02%7CShaarona.Harris%40wilsoncenter.org%7C0d4e644d23624373532508dc3f7cafd7%7C84dfdf3abb4140edb7319f6cc84e7d91%7C0%7C0%7C638455051970089242%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=A3xpfaRkWRNGgbM6VKprV1h0NXDlNy8G0XQyRrBqma0%3D&reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wilson Center Digital Archive.