A review by zmull
The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008 by Thomas E. Ricks

4.0

The Gamble is the follow-up to Rick's fantastic history of the Iraq War, Fiasco. While it matches Fiasco in tone, it's a much different book in perspective. Fiasco traced the Bush administrations fumbling of the early years of the war and Iraq's slide into chaos. The Gamble starts with the turning of the war and leads into the Surge. The great thing about both books is Ricks' access. As a military writer the top leaders in Iraq have given Ricks interviews and permissions above many other journalists covering the war. It's to Ricks' credit that he doesn't churn out puff. He bites quite a few hands in both books. I think these accounts are essential to understanding where we are in Iraq and how we got there.