The Havok Journal

The Voice of the Veteran Community

Sean Parnell

Hong Kong: Harbinger Of The Future Of Southeast Asia

Editor's Note:  This is a guest post by Aaron McGill, an American teaching in Hong Kong.  As the world continues to focus on terrorism and the Middle East, it is important to aware of international relations in Asia. The views expressed here are his own.  This article was first published in the Havok Journal on 3 April 2016. _____ Police forces march in on crowds during the … [Read more...]

“No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor” Part 2: Combat Losses

"No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor" Part 2: Combat Losses by Gunnery Sergeant L. Christian BusslerEditor's Note: These excerpts are from the multi-award winning book “No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor” and were provided by the book's author, Gunnery Sergeant L. Christian Bussler, who retains the copyrights. This an exclusive look into the world of a how the Marine Corps … [Read more...]

National Identity Crisis in the Gulf States? A Puzzle For The Future

In reading a chapter titled, “The Oil-Driven Nation-Building of the Gulf States After the Second World War” from The Emergence of the Gulf States, I was struck by how fast the Gulf States have changed and evolved since 1971.  By that year, all the Gulf States had earned their independence, mostly from Britain.During that same period, there was an oil boom beginning in … [Read more...]

“Never Forget”: Rising Up to Call Genocide ‘Genocide’

I’ll never forget standing outside the gates of the Mathhausen concentration camp to tour the prison camp at noontime. The tour guards said, “We’re closing for lunch. You can come back after lunch or if you want to tour Mathhausen right now, we’ll lock you in while we go eat lunch.” On a tight deadline to arrive at our evening destination, we said, “That works for us.” We … [Read more...]

Generations at War

The mind of the young is malleable and we can condition children to limit their feelings, harden their revulsion, and we can teach them to hate.  Nowhere is this more evident than in the Middle East.Prior to the 1920’s the Middle East had been relatively unchanged for over 400 years.  The stability of the Ottoman Empire ruled then entire area and while it might not have … [Read more...]

US Policy in the Western Hemisphere: a “Hole of Government” Approach

US Policy in the Western Hemisphere: a Hole of Government Approach by LogCincoSince the 1980s, the Government of the United States of America has been asleep at the switch.  Not everyone, of course:  there are thousands of dedicated professionals at the Department of State, the FBI, DEA, USAID and the DoD who have dedicated their lives to maintaining and improving … [Read more...]

“No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor” Part 1: Into the Fray Once Again

"No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor" Part 1: Into the Fray Once Again by Gunnery Sergeant (retired) L. Christian BusslerEditor's Note: These excerpts are from the multi-award winning book “No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor” and were provided by the book's author, Gunnery Sergeant (retired) L. Christian Bussler, who retains the copyrights. This an exclusive look into the … [Read more...]

The North Korean Problem: “Leadership,” by Herd Mentality

It is ironic that political leaders in the United States imagine that negotiations will solve a problem when we have had 60 years of North Korean intransigence and not one measure from the United States, the United Nations, or anyone else has done one damn thing to control the weapons growth or the belligerent attitude.Given their recalcitrance, there is even more reason to … [Read more...]