Straightforward and clear-eyed, it's clear from the get-go that Fiasco is written by a journalist. I think it will be far from the last word on Iraq, but it's a good summary of how we got to where we are, as of about 2006. Ricks is of course an American and has had the military beat at various newspapers, and that colors his vision of the invasion--he is reflexively pro-western and unwilling to question the morality of the U.S. invading other countries. However, even a commentator like Ricks is unable to deny what a, well, fiasco, Iraq has become, and he presents a fine technical account of the mistakes made in both the lead-up to the invasion and after the bombs start falling.

I particularly enjoyed his characterization of Douglas Feith and Donald Rumsfeld, two of the most ridiculous characters ever to grace our national stage. Not a bad place to start for those looking to have a deeper understanding of the play by play that led us into Iraq and hamstrung the American effort once we were committed.