Ally to Adversary

Rick Francona's "Ally to Adversary" offers a compelling insider's perspective on one of the most dramatic geopolitical shifts of the late twentieth century. As a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer who served as a military attaché in Iraq during the 1980s, Francona provides readers with a rare firsthand account of the complex relationship between the United States and Saddam Hussein's regime during a period when the two nations found themselves aligned against a common enemy: Iran.

The book chronicles the unusual partnership that developed between Washington and Baghdad during the Iran-Iraq War, a conflict that raged from 1980 to 1988. Francona was uniquely positioned to observe this relationship from the inside, having worked directly with Iraqi military officials during a time when the United States provided intelligence support to Iraq. His narrative draws from personal experiences and observations, offering details that would otherwise remain buried in classified files or lost to history.

What makes this work particularly valuable is its documentation of the pragmatic, often uncomfortable alliance between the United States and a regime that would later become one of America's primary adversaries in the Middle East. Francona describes the intelligence-sharing arrangements, the military cooperation, and the diplomatic maneuvering that characterized this period. The author does not shy away from the moral complexities inherent in supporting a brutal dictatorship, even when that support served broader strategic interests.

The transformation from ally to adversary forms the core narrative arc of the book. Francona traces how the relationship deteriorated following the end of the Iran-Iraq War, culminating in Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent Gulf War. This shift from cooperation to confrontation happened with remarkable speed, and the author provides context for understanding how quickly geopolitical alignments can change when circumstances shift.

Francona's background in military intelligence lends credibility to his analysis of Iraqi military capabilities and the internal dynamics of Saddam Hussein's government. His descriptions of interactions with Iraqi officials provide insight into the regime's mindset and operational methods. These personal encounters add human dimension to events that are often discussed only in abstract geopolitical terms.

The book serves as an important historical document for understanding U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East during the Cold War era. The decision to support Iraq against Iran was driven by fears of Iranian revolutionary influence spreading throughout the region following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Francona explains how this threat perception shaped American policy choices, even when those choices meant cooperating with a regime that violated human rights and pursued aggressive regional ambitions.

One strength of the narrative is its focus on the practical realities of intelligence work and military diplomacy. Rather than offering sweeping judgments, Francona tends to describe situations as he encountered them, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions about the wisdom of various policy decisions. This approach gives the book an authenticity that more polemical works often lack.

The author also addresses the intelligence assessments of Iraqi military strength and the chemical weapons program that Iraq employed during the war with Iran. These details take on added significance given later debates about Iraqi weapons programs and the intelligence failures that preceded the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Francona's account from the 1980s provides historical context for understanding the evolution of Iraq's military capabilities and the international community's knowledge of them.

For readers interested in Middle Eastern history, intelligence operations, or the evolution of American foreign policy, this book offers valuable primary source material. The eyewitness perspective distinguishes it from many other works on Iraq that rely primarily on secondary sources or policy analysis from a distance. Francona was present for key moments and provides details that enrich understanding of this complex period.

The narrative also serves as a reminder of how drastically international relationships can change. The same Iraqi officials whom Francona worked alongside in the 1980s would become adversaries in the 1990s. This transformation underscores the fluid nature of alliances in international relations and the sometimes arbitrary quality of designations like "friend" and "enemy" in geopolitics.

"Ally to Adversary" makes a significant contribution to the historical record of U.S.-Iraqi relations. While the book focuses primarily on the 1980s, its implications extend far beyond that decade, offering lessons about the unintended consequences of strategic partnerships and the importance of understanding the long-term implications of short-term alliances. Francona's account remains relevant for anyone seeking to understand the complex history that shaped modern Iraq and American involvement in the region.