Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Thomas Ricks to discuss his work as a writer and journalist. Ricks discusses his two books on the Iraq War, “Fiasco” and “The Gamble,” offering an analysis of the failures of the first years of the war and the changes in strategy engineered by Generals Odierno and Petraeus. Reviewing the conduct of the Iraq War, he analyzes the weaknesses and strengths of America's political and military leaders, the long term consequences of the conflict for the military, the unanswered questions about the future of Iraq, and the possibilities of a new American strategy for the Middle East under President Obama. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21364]