Ricks responds

Thanks to the four of you for these comments, which are smart, insightful, and civil. Your praise means a lot to me. Also, I appreciate your taking the time to write these thoughtful responses to The Gamble. I read most of them on a flight Wednesday night from San Francisco to DC, and then read ...

Thanks to the four of you for these comments, which are smart, insightful, and civil. Your praise means a lot to me. Also, I appreciate your taking the time to write these thoughtful responses to The Gamble. I read most of them on a flight Wednesday night from San Francisco to DC, and then read Susan Glasser's after it was posted yesterday.  

Thanks to the four of you for these comments, which are smart, insightful, and civil. Your praise means a lot to me. Also, I appreciate your taking the time to write these thoughtful responses to The Gamble. I read most of them on a flight Wednesday night from San Francisco to DC, and then read Susan Glasser’s after it was posted yesterday.  

What follows is my own addition to the discussion that’s appeared on this blog over the last week.  

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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