by an anonymous former Special Forces Officer “To aim and to hit, you need one eye only, and one good finger.” -Moche Continue Reading
Middle East
The Loss of Life in War is not a Sunk Cost: Why We Owe the Afghan People Better, and What the Military Community Can Do About It
In economics, there is a principle known as “the sunk cost.” The idea behind this principle is that resources invested into a project which are not Continue Reading
“Regime Change in Iran: We Can & We Must”
by Lily Stewart This first appeared in The Havok Journal on June 13, 2015. The topic discussed remains just as relevant today. In one sense, Iran is Continue Reading
Ulama in the Kingdom: Useful Pawns or Strategic Partners?
This first appeared in The Havok Journal on April 19, 2017. Prior to reading portions of Nabil Mouline’s The Clerics of Islam I did not see the ulama, Continue Reading
A Middle Eastern Veteran’s Welcome to “Mortar City” and the “Praetorians”
A C-130 Transport Plane lands in Camp Anaconda. The base is affectionately known as “mortar city” due to the constant Mortar attacks that occur on the Continue Reading
The Top Five Weird Books On Osama Bin Laden’s Bookshelf
This first appeared in The Havok Journal on May 24, 2015. “Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has Continue Reading
Joyriding in the Kingdom: Saudi Arabia’s Lower-Class Gateway Drug
This first appeared in The Havok Journal on April 11, 2017. image source: Pinterest In reading the chapter “Street Terrorism” out of Pascal Continue Reading
Why the Islamic State Hates Shrines and Kills Those Who Worship There
This first appeared in The Havok Journal on March 23, 2019. On 16 February 2017, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device that killed at least Continue Reading
Redemption: 20 years and 1 Suicide Attempt Later
From within a luxury seaside villa, I swallowed them all. I hit send on my phone and I closed my eyes. After that amount of VA candy, it’s a miracle I Continue Reading
Leaders: Myth and Reality – A Review
This first appeared in The Havok Journal on December 21, 2018. When many big names in business, politics, and pop culture sit down to pen a new Continue Reading
Afghanistan Serves U.S. Strategic Interests and It’s Time to Stop Pretending It Doesn’t
This first appeared in The Havok Journal on December 21, 2018. On Monday, U.S. officials met with representatives of the Afghan Taliban in the Continue Reading
Help Wanted: Mercenary
After the terrorist attack in Paris, fellow writer Pablo James told you how to join the French Foreign Legion if you really wanted to get into the Continue Reading