The Gamble by Thomas E. Ricks (2009, Hardcover)

The Gamble by Thomas E. Ricks is one of the more current books written on the War on Terror. The book definitely gives the impression that the worst is yet to come in Iraq. Even since this book has been published our new president has outlined his own Iraq strategy, a strategy which Ricks has remained skeptical of during his book tour. Ricks has remained cautious when talking about Obama's new Iraq strategy, not wanting to judge before the plan has time to be tested but at the same time pointing out that there have been numerous plans for withdraw from Iraq which have ended in failure. He points out that Iraq was not even planned as a long term war but a quick police action. It was never the idea of the Bush White House to stay in Iraq for years. However; their plans for withdraw never formulated. Ricks's augment is that despite the atmosphere of change, there's no guarantee that Obama's strategy won't go the way of Bush's. Thomas Ricks's book is a must read for concerned about where our country has gone in the War on Terror.