Much has been written about the 2003 Anglo-American invasion of Iraq and its aftermath, but insufficient attention has been given to the consequences of US policy on Iraqi development. This book provides in-depth analysis of the impact of US policy on Iraq's social and political development. It shows how not just state institutions were destroyed in 2003, but also Iraq's cultural integrity, political coherence and economy. The book argues that the social, political, and cultural ruin that accompanied the war was an absolute catastrophe; that the adverse effects were the foreseeable consequences of deliberate policy choices; and that those responsible continue to evade accountability.