Baghdad Central by Elliott Colla

Baghdad, September 2003 and the city, and Iraq itself, is in a mess. The US occupation is incompetent and in the grip of self-delusion, and having abolished the Iraqi army, facing a growing insurgency. Inspector Muhsin al-Khafaji is a mid-level police officer who deserted his post after the invasion. After he’s picked up by US forces who mistake him for a wanted Baathist, the coalition authorities learn of his real identity and his skill with archives and data analysis. 

On that basis, he’s hired to help recruit a new police force, his task to go through the personnel files of the old Iraqi police forces and decide who can be trusted by the Americans and might be willing to work for them. In return, his daughter who has a kidney condition, is offered treatment. While going about his tasks, al-Khafaji learns that a number of female interpreters have gone missing, including his niece. This leads him to investigate and discover a disturbing plot. 

I really wanted to like this book, having heard so much about it and seen that there was a highly regarded television adaptation (which I’m yet to see). And there is much to like about this novel, but equally there’s much to be infuriated by, though this could just be my perspective. 

Where this novel is strongest is in the general atmosphere it portrays and how it perfectly encapsulates the utter ludicrousness of the occupation. I've never been to Iraq, but during the war I worked in current affairs journalism. While I never went to Iraq myself, I knew, and spoke with, many journalists who did. Everything I’ve been told leads me to believe that this novel is spot on, and that the situation was tragically farcical. 

But this is a meandering novel and the plot never really goes anywhere. Even the main story of the female interpreters who go missing is vague and the author’s heart doesn’t really appear to be in telling it. This is a pity, because at heart the plot had strong potential. The protagonist loves poetry, and poems and poetry appear throughout the text, but to me this just further slowed things down. 

All in all, this is a good novel. Inspector Muhsin al-Khafaji is an interesting character, as are many of the supporting cast, particularly some of the clueless Americans. The portrayal of Baghdad and the occupation is excellent. But the plot really should have been tighter.

3 out of 5 stars