In war, there is no easy victory. When troops invaded Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime, most people expected an easy victory. Instead, the gamble we took was a grave mistake, and its ramifications continue to reverberate through the lives of millions, in Iraq and the West. As we gain more distance from those events, it can be argued that many of the issues facing us today – the rise of the Islamic State, increased Islamic terrorism, intensified violence in the Middle East, mass migration, and more – can be traced back to the decision to invade Iraq. In The Iraq War, award-winning documentary maker James Bluemel collects first-hand testimony from those who lived through the horrors of the invasion and whose actions were dictated by such extreme circumstances. It takes in all sides of the conflict – working class Iraqi families watching their country erupt into civil war; soldiers and journalists on the ground; American families dealing with the grief of losing their son or daughter; parents of a suicide bomber coming to terms with unfathomable events – to create the most in-depth and multi-faceted portrait of the Iraq War to date. Accompanying a major BBC series, James Bluemel’s book is an essential account of a conflict that continues to shape our world, and a startling reminder of the consequences of our past decisions.

本書はイラク戦争という悲劇を、当事者たちの生々しい肉声で再構築した、魂を揺さぶるノンフィクションです。戦場の兵士から市民、自爆テロ犯の遺族まで、多元的な視点が織りなす物語は、単なる記録を超えて人間の尊厳と絶望を浮き彫りにします。行間に滲む沈黙の声は、読者の心に強烈な倫理的問いを突きつけるでしょう。 映像版の視覚的な衝撃に対し、書籍は言葉の裏にある歴史の重みを深く咀嚼させてくれます。映像が映し出す現実と、文字が掘り下げる内省が共鳴することで、現代の混迷を解くための確かな指針が得られるはずです。両メディアを横断することで、一つの戦争が変えてしまった世界の真実に手が届くはずです。