From inside a surreal bubble of pure Americana known as the Green Zone the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority attempted to rule Iraq following the fall of Saddam Husseins regime. Drawing on interviews & internal documents Rajiv Chandrasekaran tells the memorable story of this ill-prepared attempt to build American democracy in a war-torn Middle Eastern country detailing not only the risky disbanding of the Iraqi army & the ludicrous attempt to train the new police force but absurdities such as the aide who based Baghdads new traffic laws on those of the state of Maryland downloaded from the net & the twenty-four-year-old who had never worked in finance put in charge of revitalising Baghdads stock exchange. Imperial Life in the Emerald City" is American reportage at its best."