About the Author

Joseph Tragert is currently the principal and co-founder of the Massachusetts-based North Ridge Associates, an international consulting firm. Prior to this, he was a senior associate at KPMG Peat Marwick, where he specialized in Islamic relations and developed the company's body of knowledge on the politics, economics, and the history of Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries. In addition to being the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Understanding Iraq, he is currently working co-writing The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Understanding North Korea (coming in early 2004), which may make him the only living writer to have written books on each country in President George W. Bush's "Axis of Evil."