"Millions of Iraqis, mostly Sunnis, have fled the country, creating a refugee crisis that has only recently been acknowledged as such by the U.S. government. Amos deftly examines the political and cultural consequences of the marginalization of the Sunnis while focusing on individual Iraqis who have fled to such countries as Syria and Lebanon in the wake of a new sectarian and tribal-based order in Iraqà. Amos's breathtaking work implicates not only shortsighted American policy but the age-old schism between Sunni and Shia and the cagey maneuverings of such meddling neighbors as Syria. The weight and complexity of the Iraqi problem is on full display." Publisher's description

Includes index.

Selling the country -- The first to go -- Surge of exile -- "Now is the winter of our discontent" -- Identity and repression -- "The most honest housewife in the world" -- Lebanon's Iraq war -- "Every Iraqi citizen is a landmine about to blow up" -- Lost generation -- "Behind every dish lies a world, a culture, a history" -- Militiamen come from the best families -- Far away -- Conclusion: Baghdad -- Author's note: changed identities