Tom Ricks was on Meet the Press today talking about his new book, The Gamble.

Here's the transcript of how the interview begins.

"MR. GREGORY: This was the first book, "Fiasco," about Iraq.  It speaks for itself.  And just to hold it up, this is the new book.  It is "The Gamble." And here was something striking that you wrote from this book, looking forward now to President Obama and his leadership test: "2009 could prove to be a particularly difficult year in the war.  `In many ways, the entire war was a huge gamble, risking America's future power and prestige on a war that, at best, is likely to be inconclusive,' commented Shawn Brimley, a former Canadian infantry officer who became a defense analyst at the Center for a New American Security.  He predicted that Bush's gamble will force Obama into a series of his own gambles and trade-offs--between the war and domestic needs, between Iraq and Afghanistan, between his political base and his military.  In sum, the first year of Obama's war promises to be tougher for America's leaders and military than was the last year of Bush's war." How so?"

The more Ricks talked, the more concerned I became that Obama's choices will be predicated on looking "strong" or "macho". As I have written before, I am for defeating our enemies, but I am concerned the methods we are using to defeat them are actually playing into their hands.

You can read the rest of the interview at this link.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29083534/page/4/