In Iraq, Military Forgot Lessons of Vietnam

The real war in Iraq -- the one to determine the future of the country -- began on Aug. 7, 2003, when a car bomb exploded outside the Jordanian Embassy, killing 11 and wounding more than 50.

That bombing came almost exactly four months after the U.S. military thought it had prevailed in Iraq, and it launched the insurgency, the bloody and protracted struggle with guerrilla fighters that has tied the United States down to this day.

This is the first of two articles adapted from the book "Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq" by Thomas E. Ricks. Penguin Press, New York, � 2006. Monday, July 24, 1 p.m. ET FIASCO: The American Military Adventure in Iraq Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post staff writer Thomas E. Ricks has covered the U.S. military for the Washington Post since 2000. His book FIASCO: The American Military Adventure in Iraq will be published by Penguin Press in July 2006. News From Iraq Car Bombs Srikes Hit Baghdad, Kirkuk; Hussein Hospitalized FIGHTING THE INSURGENCY Getting the Strategy Right: In Iraq, Military Forgot Lessons of Vietnam Fighting the Insurgency Getting the Strategy Right: In Iraq, Military Forgot the Lessons of Vietnam Iraqi Leader to Visit Bush; Talks to Focus on Violence Widows Strain Welfare System in Iraq More News FULL REPORT: America at War   Special Report Washington Post stories and multimedia reports about Iraq, Afghanistan, the War on Terror and more. � Faces of the Fallen � Veterans: In Their Own Words � Afghan Reconstruction � FULL COVERAGE Who's Blogging? Read what bloggers are saying about this article. Musafir's Musings Musafir's Musings we live our lives among giants