Anna Prouse is a journalist and advisor, handpicked by General David Petraeus to lead reconstruction efforts in southern Iraq. Due to a strange series of coincidences, her life was actually saved by Qasem Soleimani (before he was the target in a fatal U.S. drone strike on January 3 in Baghdad) after he had vacillated several times about having her killed. For eight years Anna was one of the only western women negotiating with the Iraqi government and military, interacting with pivotal figures like Governor of Kuwait Aziz Saleh al-Numan Aziz, Iraqi General Saad and Colonel Abu Lika. Join us for a discussion of reconstruction efforts in Iraq from a woman who didn’t just witness them from the sidelines but helped lead the US efforts in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.