On December 17, 1998, at 20 minutes after midnight, the eerie wail of ­air-​­raid sirens pierced the dark sky over Baghdad. The horizon exploded with bursts of light as Iraqi­ anti-aircraft guns sprayed fire. American B‑­52H planes were bombing the Iraqi capital. At the Chinese embassy earlier in the evening, the mood had been light. No one seriously expected the Americans to attack. Still, just in case, embassy staff had distributed bulletproof vests and helmets. Now, with sirens scr