Revolution Day: The Human Story of the Battle for Iraq by Rageh Omaar

Revolution Day: The Human Story of the Battle for Iraq by Rageh Omaar tells the story of Rageh Omaar's time reporting for the BBC from Baghdad during the 2003 "liberation" of Iraq by American and British forces.

Omaar reported from Iraq during the year leading up to the war, and then from Baghdad through the war to overthrow Saddam Hussein. He was in the Iraqi capital during the "shock and Awe" air strikes, the brief siege of the city, but left soon after American troops took "control" of the city, due to the heightened danger.

The story that he tells gives a completely different perspective on the whole conflict, and what Iraq was really like prior to the war - Omaar had spent a year in Iraq in the years prior to the buildup to the war when United Nations' sanctions were at their worst. He provides a damning analysis of not only the Saddam Hussein regime, but also of the action taken by the USA led coalition and the United Nations.

Omaar speaks with the same passion and conviction that he did in his news reports for the BBC during the war, and does now for Al Jazeera English. He clearly has a huge understanding of the Middle East and in particular Iraq, and has also has gained the respect and trust of many people to get a real insider picture of the country.

The only disappointment I feel in reading this book is that people like Rageh Omaar were not listened to before the ill-conceived invasion. With a better understanding of the mentality of the Iraqi people, and their feelings towards the West and the United Nations, things could have been so different.

The situation in Iraq may have moved on considerably in the 2-3 years since this book was written, but it remains a highly recommended and topical read. In some ways the power of what he writes is only strengthened by the fact that much of what he predicted for the future of Iraq has come to pass. A great read for anyone, and a must read for anyone interested in Middle East current affairs.