The Havok Journal

The Voice of the Veteran Community

West and Dunn

Battle of the Bridge: A Company, 1-505th at La Fiere Bridge

Battle of the Bridge: A Company, 1-505th at La Fiere Bridge by Mike Kelvington 75 years ago, units of the American Paratroopers had already landed behind German lines in France.  One such unit was the 505thParachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), a seasoned element of the 82ndAirborne Division.  Some of its elements had already completed their third combat jump in about a year.  … [Read more...]

I Went to a Donald Trump Rally (This Isn’t What You’d Expect)

I Went to a Donald Trump Rally (This Isn't What You'd Expect) by anonymous This first appeared in The Havok Journal May 25, 2016. I had my ticket and was standing in line for an hour and a half before the event started.  Everyone started getting turned away due to capacity just before 7pm when the rally was schedule to start. (Mr. Trump’s social media and the news were … [Read more...]

Spotlight: A Contrarian View towards Israel

Spotlight: A Contrarian View towards Israel by Kerry Patton If you are an “I Support Israel” type of person, be forewarned—the odds are, you will hate this article. This is not some anti-Semitic article. It has nothing to do with religion or the Jewish faith. It has everything to do with the politics, policies, and practices of an actual nation state--Israel. If you have … [Read more...]

16 Years At War, And Now… Russia: How Did We Get Here in the First Place?

16 Years At War, And Now... Russia: How Did We Get Here in the First Place? by Mike J. Editor's Note: supporting links and documentation appear at the end of this article. This first appeared in The Havok Journal June 23, 2017. Allow me a not so brief history lesson, if you will. The earliest communique I can find or read shows Bin Laden and Zarqawi speaking of the … [Read more...]

“Regime Change in Iran: We Can & We Must”

“Regime Change in Iran: We Can & We Must” by Lily Stewart This first appeared in The Havok Journal June 13, 2015. In one sense, Iran is a country—a geographic place—with a border and a government and its own economy. But in another sense, Iran is community of people that transcends borders and reaches to every corner of the world. Iran is a culture, a birthplace, a … [Read more...]

Jihadi Novels: Same Story, Different Medium, Wave of the Future?

Jihadi Novels: Same Story, Different Medium, Wave of the Future? by Mike Kelvington This first appeared in The Havok Journal June 21, 2017. In reading “A Guest on This Earth: Humam al-Balawi and the Birth of Jihadist Fiction” by Nadav Samin, the content struck me as both contemporary and historical. On one hand, the subject of the story, doctor and author turned … [Read more...]

The Radicalization Trap: “If you ain’t a Muslim you deserve to die”

The Radicalization Trap: “If you ain’t a Muslim you deserve to die” by Ayman Kafel It was a cold night in early 2000 as I sat inside a mosque after Friday prayer. I was waiting for a couple of friends, and decided to hang out in the common area. Several chairs and tables were scattered across the room. It was noisy from the various conversations going on. There were all … [Read more...]

Reality of the Job

Reality of the Job by Ayman Kafel Every door I knock on is mostly bad news Most cars I stop, I don’t plan on giving a ticket It’s either to tell them to slow down  or tell them their taillight is out When I go order a meal I try to go to places where I see my food being made When I eat, my back is to the wall Head on a swivel, Is my food poisoned? Spit on? Was … [Read more...]