The Unraveling: High Hopes and Missed Opportunities in Iraq

Sky, a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute, delivers a memoir that may be the best book to date on the American war in Iraq. Her thesis is that a unified stable Iraqi government was once possible, thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of many Coalition soldiers and civilians and the Iraqi people and their leaders, but that opportunity was squandered in the final months of the U.S. presence. Sky brings unique and unmatched credentials to her analysis of the war. As a British civilian, she was as close to unbiased as a senior participant could be. She was initially employed as a provincial governance leader by the Coalition Provisional Authority, and later she worked as the political advisor to Generals Odierno and Petraeus, the commanders of U.S. forces in Iraq. Her keen intellect and dry, self-effacing wit make the book a thought-provoking, informative, and enjoyable read. With no personal or political axes to grind, Sky's analysis of events and personalities focuses on her immense expertise and access to key figures. This authoritative first-person account is a must-read for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the complexity of the Iraq war, and the road to the current crises with the Islamic State. (Apr.)