I once said that “The places in between” was the best book I read in 2009 but in fact, at the time I put that into words, I had not read the Rory Stewart´s “Occupational Hazards: My Time Governing in Iraq” yet. So I am to say that both of them were my best reading experience in 2009. Although one is not the sequence of another, there is a feeling that the first one is on episode and the second one is another episode of the Stewart´s adventures. I keep wondering when others episodes will come and sometimes I find myself quite excited about it. Excited is, I believe, the right word to be used, because whatever the future holds to him, I believe that will be everything but ordinary. What could we expect from a scot born in Hong Kong, brought up in Malaysia, a former soldier who crossed Asia on foot, has a strong will, an intellectual personality and a very good sense of humanity?
In April 2009 Rory Stewart was in his home, in Highlands of Scotland, after a twenty-month-walk throughout Asia, as can be seen in his “The places in Between”. When the invasion of Iraq began in March 2003, Stewart sent his resume to the foreign office, although he had already resigned from being a diplomat serving in the British Embassy in Indonesia before his walk-adventure. As he never got a reply, he decided to go on his own to Iraq and ask for a job from the director of operations. Once in Baghdad, he walked along the city observing everything and describing afterwards in this book what he saw in the Iraq´s capital after the U.S.- led invasion.
Returning back to Britain, the Foreign Office asked him, firstly, to be governorate coordinator deputy in Maysan, a province which lay in the Marshes just north of the Garden of Eden, near Iranian border. The Foreign office gave him this job because of his experience in a post-war environment (he was in Afghan soil after the U.S. invasion) and because he could spoke a little of Arabic and some Farsi (Persian – Iranian language).
I do not know what he had in his mind doing something like that and he did not say either. Probably because he was too shy to admit his seeking for adventure I suppose. The book, actually, is his account on his experience governing two provinces in Iraq and, unlike his first book; it is not written as it was a diary but something similar to a memoir, with a fantastic description of scenes, historical background, politic issues, cultural configuration and others aspects that built that specific moment in the History of that country. He managed to put the reader very close to the reality he was going through.
The main point that he tried make the readers be aware of was that the culture was far away from what the occident was used to. He tried to explain the tribal leaders thinking, the Islamic militias, communist dissidents and the interest of the Iranian intelligence agents on Iraq. He dealt with many problems and found himself drowned in a pool of conflicting interests which seemed to be impossible to be dealt with. But despite of all problems and the threatening environment, Stewart´s beliefs in democracy and freedom managed him to be confident and get some respect from the local people.
But respect was not enough in that environment and things gone worse. He tried rebuilt the area and deliver confident to its people drawing ideas on economic growth and social identity, but as soon he realized that problems were far away from be solved, he struggled to keep his position and security.
What he experience in his last days governing in Iraq, would make any other fellow give up the place and to promise never put a feet on there again nor get involved in Arabic issues. But, not surprisingly coming from him, after concluding his role in the government, Stewart continued involved and he established, as Executive Chairman, the Turquoise Mountain Foundation, a human development NGO, in Afghanistan, and relocated to Kabul.
Nowadays, he has been the Member of Parliament for Penrith and the Border, in the county of Cumbria, North West England. His work as a Member of Parliament can be seen at http://www.rorystewart.co.uk/. He keeps a blog and the twitter for those who like to follow him and find out more about him.
I recommended “The Occupational Hazards: My Time Governing in Iraq” saying that it is an astonishing, thought-provoking, fascinating and at the same time shocking and breathtaking book. It has a very important historical value as well.
