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A review by mburnamfink
The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008 by Thomas E. Ricks
4.0
The sequel to Fiasco, The Gamble is the story of two insurgencies; one fought one the streets of Bagdad with AK-47s, RPGs, and IEDs, the other fought in the halls of power with email, power point, and political connections. By 2006, Iraq was in shambles, and fast descending into civil war. In Ricks' appraisal, it was primarily the insight of General Petraeus and his skill at navigating the political tides than enabled the Surge that ended the insurgency. Unlike his predecessors in Vietnam, Petraeus brought not just larger numbers, but a change in strategy, bringing American forces into contested neighborhoods and cutting deals with former insurgents. In doing so, he broke the cycle of violence and positioned the Americans as the most neutral and trustworthy force in Iraq. Of course, even today Iraqi politics are far from stable, and the long term success of mission remains in doubt.
Compared to the previous book, this one is less critical and less interesting. It's harder to find general lessons in it, the anecdotes more scattered and frequently hard to relate to COIN or the methods of leadership. But for that, it's an interesting and important tale about how large institutions can adapt and win, when before they were headed for defeat.
Compared to the previous book, this one is less critical and less interesting. It's harder to find general lessons in it, the anecdotes more scattered and frequently hard to relate to COIN or the methods of leadership. But for that, it's an interesting and important tale about how large institutions can adapt and win, when before they were headed for defeat.