Sarah Moawad, who earned a master’s degree in Middle Eastern studies from Harvard and another in journalism from Columbia, made vitally important contributions to this book. She tracked down sources, helped conduct interviews, traveled to Jordan, and translated archival Arabic-language material with exceptional clarity. Her passion for the subject matter and her engagement with our sources inspired me throughout, and I owe her an immeasurable debt. Amel Brahmi, an experienced French journalist who is now a doctoral student at Columbia, also made invaluable contributions. She tracked down important Iraqi, French, and photographic sources, adding to the book’s detail and authority. Finally, on this five-year project’s last lap, David Kortava, a writer and fact-checker at The New Yorker, recontacted interviewees and rechecked documentary sources, adding nuance and clarity while also rescuing me from embarrassing errors. I am also indebted to many others, as described in the acknowledgments.