The Gamble

by Ricks, Thomas E.

• ISBN13: 9781410414113
• ISBN10: 1410414116
• Edition: Large
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-02-10
• Publisher: Thorndike Pr

Author Biography

Thomas E. Ricks uses exclusive interviews with top officers in Iraq and on-the-ground reportage to document the inside story of the Iraq War since late 2005, examining the events that took place as the military was forced to reckon with itself, the surge was launched, and a very different war began. At the core of the story is General David Petraeus, a military intellectual who has gathered around him an unprecedented number of officers with both combat experience and Ph.D.s.

Table of Contents

Cast Of Characters	p. 11
Acronyms And Abbreviations	p. 15
The Old War Ends
Things Fall Apart (Fall 2005)	p. 21
How to Fight This War (Fall 2005-Fall 2006)	p. 61
Keane Takes Command (Fall 2006)	p. 157
A Strategy Is Born (Winter 2006-7)	p. 217
A New War Begins
If You're So Smart...(Spring 2007)	p. 255
Gambling on a "shitty Hand" (Spring and Summer 2007)	p. 295
Signs of Life in Baghdad (Summer 2007)	p. 392
The Domestic Opposition Collapses (Summer and Fall 2007)	p. 443
War Without End
The Twilight Zone (Winter 2007-8)	p. 499
Big Wasta (Spring 2008)	p. 525
After the Surge (Summer 2008)	p. 565
Obama's War (Fall 2008)	p. 587
Epilogue: The Long War	p. 599
Appendixes	p. 623
Col. Devlin's Intelligence Assessment	p. 627
The Orders Lt. Gen. Odierno Received in December 2006	p. 632
How Odierno Changed the Mission	p. 637
Gen. Petraeus Summarizes How to Operate in Iraq	p. 662
Notes	p. 665
Acknowledgments	p. 699
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