The Truth About the Crisis in Iraq

Joshua Ledra, born in Guyana, spent ten years in Iraq where he helped in Iraq’s Reconstruction efforts. His stay in Iraq enabled him to experience at first hand the culture and hospitality of the people. In this book the complexity of the crisis in Iraq is discussed for the first time. Ledra uses his knowledge as an engineer to highlight the role of the United States in the rebuilding efforts in Iraq and he offers his unique vision on the possible solutions to the current crisis. This is a book that all readers will find stimulating and absorbing and is highly recommended to those who are interested in lasting peace in the Middle East.

“Joshua Ledra writes with command on a complex subject. His book on the crisis in Iraq is riveting and offers a new perspective on the instability in the region. This is a book that politicians, policymakers and ordinary readers will treasure in their collection.”
Dr. Dhanpaul Narine,
Department of Education,
City of New York.


“The Truth About the Crisis in Iraq” possesses the stentorian ring of authenticity. Joshua Ledra, with ten years on the ground as a leader in restoring the infrastructure of Iraq, has returned with a great first person story and much more. Nuggets of historical insight on religion, culture and politics transfer directly into the current and future predicaments and directions unfolding in Iraq and surrounding countries. Knowledge is one thing - what Joshua Ledra brings the reader is wisdom. It’s a fascinating read from cover to cover!
Rev. Dr. David H. Benke, Bishop/President
Atlantic District, LC-MS
Pastor, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
Brooklyn, New York
“Engaging the World with the Gospel of Hope”

He graduated in Electric Power Systems Engineering in Budapest, Hungary (1970), and obtained a Master of Science Degree in Electric Power Systems Analysis and Control from the Victoria University of Manchester in the U.K. (1979).

He held senior positions at the Guyana Electricity Corporation from 1973 to 1986, became a Chartered Engineer of the U.K.-based Institute of Electrical Engineers (1977), has been a Member of the U.S.-based Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers, Inc.(IEEE) since 1978, and an IEEE USA Consultant since 2001.

From 1999 to 2001, he served on several occasions as a United Nations Energy & Power Consultant, to the UNOPS’s (UN Office for Project Services) Reconstruction efforts in Kosovo, which was bombed by U.S. and NATO forces in 1999.

In 2004 he served in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR) as a U.S. Federal Contractor on the Northern Iraq Electricity Network Rehabilitation Programme (ENRP) under the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority led by the U.S. Bremer Administration.

He later served as a U.S. Federal Contractor/Project Manager, initially in 2005 with the Gulf Region Division (GRD) of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and subsequently within the U.S. / GRD-led Joint Reconstruction Operations Center (JROC) from 2006 to 2010, with U.S. Companies on the U.S. Government Iraq Reconstruction Project funded for $18.4B.

From 2010 to 2011 he served as Program Manager/ Electrical Engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was assigned to the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) of the U.S. Department of State (DOS) at two of Iraq’s Provinces located outside Baghdad. From 2011 to 2013 he served as the Post Electrical Engineer as a U.S. State Department Contractor and was assigned to the U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq.

For his service to both the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of State (DOS), he was presented with over 15 ‘Certificates or Letters of Commendation and Recognition’ awards for outstanding service to the U.S. military and the U.S. State Department in their reconstruction efforts in Iraq.