This is the story of the remarkable life of Ahmad Chalabi, whose legendary charisma and charm helped propel the United States to war in Iraq.  Who was he really?  A corrupt businessman or a somewhat deluded visionary?  A brilliant con man or perhaps, as some still see him, a persecuted genius?  Was he an agent of the Islamic Republic of Iran, or of America, or solely of his own ambition?  He has left no substantial written record of his political philosophy or his life, but he has over time - in some speeches and opinion articles and through the voices of his admirers - exposed his ambitions, disappointments, and triumphs.  And just as important, around the world, in courthouses and company files in Washington, Switzerland, London, Jordan, Lebanon, Hong Kong, and the offshore tax haven of the Cayman Islands, he and some family members left a trail littered with bankruptcies, allegations of fraud, and and devastated victims.  This narrative follows that trail and chronicles Chalabi's improbable adventures.

Publisher: Nation Books, a member of the Perseus Books Group