When it comes to terrorism, US foreign policy, US military operations, the true nature of Islam and the extent of Islamic radicalization, there are no shortages of opinions. As a survivor of the 9/11 attacks and a former US soldier, I certainly had my own. But when it came to discussing Islam intelligently, I had more questions than answers. Frustratingly, most interviews I’ve … [Read more...]
Trump, Mattis, Middle East Policy, and “One World Government”
Trump, Mattis, Middle East Policy, and "One World Government" by Nathan PlayerIf the press is to be believed, America’s adventurism in the Middle East is winding down. Agree or disagree on the policy, this should surprise no one. This has always been the current administration’s goal. It has also been the stated policy objective of politicians on both sides of the aisle … [Read more...]
Afghanistan serves U.S. strategic interests, and it is time to stop pretending it doesn’t.
On Monday, U.S. officials met with representatives of the Afghan Taliban in the United Arab Emirates to discuss a potential political settlement to the war in Afghanistan. On Wednesday, President Trump announced that the U.S. will immediately withdraw from Syria and only one day later, the Trump Administration announced that it is considering a significant drawdown of American … [Read more...]
Leaders: Myth and Reality – A Review
When many big names in business, politics, and pop culture sit down to pen a new book, they tend to capture personal exploits, successes, accumulation of wealth, awards, and achievements. In the new, bestselling release of Leaders: Myth and Reality, GEN (Retired) McChrystal and his co-authors manage to approach the topic of leadership with a focus still on individuals, but … [Read more...]
The Ranger Way: Earning My Combat Scroll
The Ranger Way: Earning My Combat Scroll by James WebbIt was my 3rd mission that I bagged my first bad guy.Right out of the bird, I knew we were running up to the top of a hill and just above the target building. To be blatantly honest, all I paid attention to at that point was how far we were walking and if there was a terrain feature or not we had to cross, meaning a … [Read more...]
US/Iran Relations and the “Abu Monroe” Doctrine
US/Iran Relations and the "Abu Monroe" Doctrine By John ChandlerThis article first appeared in The Havok Journal in October of 2017 and was updated to reflect recent developments in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. -editor _____ In recent weeks, an MQ9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down over Yemen, continuing a trend of attacks against US personnel and combat systems … [Read more...]
This Week’s “Under the Radar” Global News
Folks,I remember when System of a Down released, “B.Y.OB.” I remember driving along the Pacific Coast Highway, tanned from a day at the beach and a belly full of surf and turf while Serge Tankian screamed, “And we all live in a fascist nation!” That was 2006. I remember thinking I liked SOAD more for their music than for their astute grasp of political philosophy. On that … [Read more...]
Israel, Palestine, and the False Hope of “CoExistence”
Israel, Palestine, and the False Hope of "CoExistence" by Mike KelvingtonEditor's Note: Former Army Ranger and longtime Havok Journal writer Mike Kelvington penned this piece for a journal run by the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism in the Interdisciplinary College (IDC) at Herzilya, Israel. We're re-posting an excerpt here, I highly encourage you to read … [Read more...]
One Hell of a Ride Back to the FOB
One Hell of a Ride Back to the FOB by Carlos TecheraThere I was laying on my back in a ditch. Everything flashing before my eyes, in an empty silence. "What just happened, no way did that just happened. Shit, we crashed... we crashed," my inner voice yelling at me open your eyes.There the silence subsided, my senses restarted I gasped for air, "I am alive."Screams, … [Read more...]
ISIS “SEAL Commando Video” Is… Well It’s As Awesome As You’d Expect.
ISIS "SEAL Commando Video" Is... Well It's As Awesome As You'd Expect. by Scott FaithThose clowns at ISIS are at it again, producing yet another "tacticool" recruiting video. This one focuses on maritime commando operations, and the outcome is about what you'd expect.In comparison to their beheading videos, which tend to be brutal and slickly produced, ISIS's … [Read more...]