Page 39 - Tom Ricks News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

imagination thrives. because this is a day-keover, one day to do it, there is a ton of work to do and i have got to get started. we're going to bring in a few pieces from ikea because it is easy and i competed together in one day. you still want a plan. important to map out before you begin. this is benjamin norris paint. i love it because it is nontoxic, an excellent choice for a kid's room. now, i'm going to just try moving this over here just to make sure. because -- no. and, that is that. i am confident they're going to go right here. ok, look at this. this is going to look aweso...

hear very much about it, because people don't find a lot of political capital talking about that. >> just to pick up on one point there, there's a question that's hung over the iraq enterprise from day one and it's been this -- is iraq the way iraq is because saddam was the way saddam was? or was saddam the way saddam was because iraq was the way iraq was? is it a fractured, multisectarian country that could only be held together by an iron fist, first by saddam or residually by us? or is it not? we're going to get the answer to that question now. saddam's fist is gone, ours is gone,...

washington, kathleen parker. and in a special christmas day reflection, we'll hear from the former archbishop of washington, cardinal theodore mccarrick. >> christmas day is a season of hope, a season of expectation, a season of love. >> good morning. and merry christmas. 2011, almost behind us now, so many key questions as we head into the new year, and for the next hour we've aacceptled a terrific group to talk about the year ahead, and a reflection on where the country has been this year. joining me, nbc's tom brokaw. tom friedman, kathleen parker. marc morial. welcome to all of y...

Diplomatically, how would you characterize them today, and what are the key drivers as to whether that relationship deteriorates or improves? >> thanks for having me on, dylan, and welcome home to john and the other men and women who are finally getting out of there. tom ricks wrote a book called "fiasco" about the first part of the iraq war, and i don't know if there's a better or more apt title. you look at what the costs were, and you look at who benefited. let's just talk who benefited from us invading iraq and occupying iraq. iran did because now their enemy, the bulwark against iranian p...

don't reconcile it, and i'm excited to talk to the governor about it. >> sounds interesting, dylan. take it away. >> here we go. show starts right now. ♪ so this is christ mass >> well, the big story, war is over. good wednesday afternoon to you, i'm dylan ratigan. nice to see you. note the question mark in the statement behind me. the remaining 5,500 u.s. troops in iraq are packing up. good news. ready to hand full control over to the iraqis by christmas of this year, nine years after the u.s.-led invasion but after they come home 16,000 u.s. contractors on our tax payroll and per...