FIASCO

Rick's (2006) Fiasco New York: Penguin Press

This New York Times #1 bestseller describes the Iraq war from the early 90's to the early days of 2006. In 1991, Iraq invaded Kuwait. The country was unprepared for the attack and has a great deal of oil. After much maneuvering, the USA under President George H. W. Bush attacked

Iraq, defended Kuwait's borders and came home. It was a war won by the states, but Hussein was able to declare victory because America did not invade Iraq as such . Particularly for the Right, it was an opportunity lost.

After  President George W. Bush won election, the following September, the New York Trade Towers were attacked. Bush sought out the leader, Osma bin Landen in Afghanistan and although bin Laden escaped, the war was temporarily successful. Bush then parlayed the victory in an attack on Iraq. In a hurried fashion, the USA attacked without a clear plan.. At first, the strategic strikes were overwhelmingly successful. Once victory was declared, two months drifted by without a strategy of containment. Insurgencies erupted and the war became on- going without a decided direction.

The first director (Garner) wanted to keep the Iraq troops and administration in tact and to use them to run the country as it slowly democratized. He was over ruled and Bremer replaced him.

The war became undone and numerous generals and infantry began to see the emergence of chaos.

Various strategies were used but by that time the insurgents could work swiftly and then disappear. Both private trucks and military transports became vulnerable to attack. The were numerous outbreaks throughout the country. US troops came to be viewed as colonialists rather than liberators. The average family was without  water, electricity or food.

Throughout the entire time, the administration appeared to be oblivious to the situation. Troops that were prepared for a symmetrical land war were not in a position to fight an asymmetrical insurgency. It was like a large hammer attacking thousands of bees.

Ultimately, there were not enough troops, equipment, and rationale. It was like France in Algeria or Israel in Lebanon. Throughout all this Donald Rumsfeld has been able to make decisions without his fingerprints on those decisions. To keep his job and yet remain emotionally distant from his work. Rumsfeld has  a genius for surviving politically.

President Bush appears to be even further from the war emotionally. It is a job that was assigned to others. The buck stops somewhere else.

The biggest casualty personally has been former Secretary of State Colin Powell. He was the good soldier that did his part and the facts he presented at the United Nations were spurious. He tried to stop the others from going to war and when he prepared his presentation he had fact checkers that he trusted, but who were not trustworthy.

At the end of the book, one is reminded of an interview that Ricks did with Tim Russert on

"Meet the Press" Ricks indicated that this war should now be thought of as a two generation war.

We will probably have troops in the country like that of South Korea. It may take decades before results are accomplished