by Michael Jerome Plunkett A year has passed since the bungled withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan and many Americans are still Continue Reading
Middle East
Finding a Home: The Beta Israel in Diaspora
Introduction Beta Israel (House of Israel), also known as the Ethiopian Jewry or Falasha ("stranger" or "immigrant") Jews, present a unique case Continue Reading
Israel, Palestine, and the False Hope of “CoExistence”
Editor's Note: Former Army Ranger and longtime Havok Journal writer Mike Kelvington penned this piece for a journal run by the International Institute Continue Reading
“Lance Corporal of Marines”: An Excerpt From Aaron Kirk’s “The Hill”
Editor's Note: "The Hill" is an Afghanistan War memoir by Marine Corps veteran Aaron Kirk. You can find print and electronic versions on Amazon, Continue Reading
“What the hell? Is this guy the Iraqi Terminator?”
by Frank Pauc This first appeared in Frank’s blog on July 23, 2022, as "Shooting." It is republished here with the author’s permission. Continue Reading
Hans Remembers the Blood and the Heat
by Frank Pauc This first appeared in Frank’s blog on July 20, 2022, as "Hot and Dry" It is republished here with the author’s Continue Reading
Saudi Women and the War on Terror
In the masculine-driven nation of Saudi Arabia, women are subordinate to men and the state, yet, in the eyes of both, they serve an important role Continue Reading
A Middle Eastern Veteran’s Struggle with His Own Community
My squad drives along MSR (main supply route) Dover, en-route to Camp Anaconda. I am standing in the gunner’s position, wearing my face mask and Continue Reading
Importing the Muslim Brotherhood: Creation of the “Sahwa” in Saudi Arabia
A movement known as the Islamic Awakening (al-Sahwa al-Islamiyya) or Sahwa quickly established itself as a counter-culture to the religious Continue Reading
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 Continue Reading
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. Continue Reading
Muslim Veterans Speak Out, Part 2: Women’s Rights and Islam
This first appeared in The Havok Journal in January 2017. ____________ Author's Note: When it comes to terrorism, U.S. foreign policy and military Continue Reading