A Perfect Title

I don’t require a book to be enjoyable to read it. I will read for fun, of course. I think it’s healthy. My daughter talked me into reading her first Harry Potter book and I wound up reading them all. However, I can’t remember the last time a book made me mad.

I don’t know if Thomas Ricks’ Fiasco will make you mad or not but I think you should read it. I certainly can’t think of another book that is more appropriately titled. I appreciate brevity simply because I don’t posses the talent for it. “Fiasco” is the one word -- the perfect word -- to describe our “military adventure in Iraq.”

Mr. Ricks does a great job of providing the details to make his case. I also think he is fair -- something that is sorely lacking in today’s partisan environment. He (rightly) points out the failure of our country’s press to ask the tough questions about our policies in regards to Iraq. Mr. Ricks is the Pentagon correspondent for The Washington Post. Enough said.

I will plant one thought in your brain. Should you choose to read this excellent book, think about how important a competent Civil Service is to this country as you go though the litany of mistakes made. We’ve all had the importance of “checks and balances” in our government drilled into our heads since grade school. Notice how they failed. Notice what it has (and will) cost us.

Don Brown
December 9, 2006

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