14Charlie

About the author

14Charlie offers 8+ years of experience in defence intelligence and special operations, where he had the privilege of leading and managing small, highly-specialised teams in complex and dynamic environments in support of national-level objectives. He enjoys long walks through the mountains to cast cursed rings into magical volcanoes, and occasionally mounting efforts to blow up moon-sized space stations in his spare time. Opinions are certainly his own. Follow him on Twitter @cstrikesback.

Seven Ways ISIL Uses Terrorism as a Tool

ISIL has openly stated its desire to draw the United States and other Coalition forces into a massive ground invasion which they believe will usher about the second coming of the Prophet…

Threat to Aircraft: ISIS Downs Mi-35 Chopper Using MANPADS

According to recent reporting from IHS Janes and the Long War Journal, images released via Twitter by the Islamic State show a militant firing the advanced FN-6 MANPADS (man-portable air defense system) at an Iraqi helicopter conducting operations in the vicinity of the embattled Baiji Refinery in early October. The refinery, one of Iraq’s largest and […]

Rome and the Night Train

I was alone, on leave, and traveling through Europe not too long ago. Looking back, I really should not have been traveling alone—but plans I’d had to link up with a buddy of mine had fallen through.

The Night Train and the Jihadist

Our conversation soon became a pseudo chess match. I would say things like, “Tell me more about yourself,” and “How did you learn English so well?” He would counter with, “Enough about me, tell me about what you do in the U.S. Tell me about life in the U.S.”

CIA Assesses Over 15,000 Foreign Fighters Have Joined Jihadist Ranks in Syria Alone

According to recent reporting from CNN, a CIA source has revealed current agency estimates regarding the approximate manpower strength of the number of foreign fighters in Syria, as well as the number of individuals assessed to be fighting under the Islamic State (IS/ISIS/ISIL) banner. Agency estimates provided to CNN assess that there are “more than 15,000 foreign […]

9/11: Unwavering Heroism

9/11. I truly don’t know where to start on this one. On one hand it’s a day of profound sadness and grief, but it’s also a day that sparks an immense source of pride, demomstrates the indefatigable resilience of America as a nation, and the unwavering heroism of those involved. Sure, I could sit here […]

Inside Terrorism: Quick Notes Version

Team Room & ‘REP Mafia, I realized today that I had never posted something exclusively for your consumption, so I wanted to fill that gap and share the following eight pages of love with you.  The following are a series of notes I compiled (how kind of me, I know) while reading Bruce Hoffman’s book Inside Terrorism […]

We Are All ISIS: Social Media and the Global Jihadist Movement

The feature image.  I hope it got your attention, because it caught mine.  Just like this bold text has hopefully done.  Take another look.  The clear yet powerful background image, positioned cleanly behind simple and emotionally strong language: We Are All ISIS.   There is a twisted appeal to the image – one that is both […]

AFSOC Air Commando’s Story Remembered: MOH Recipient Major Bernard Fisher

Editor’s note: this is a guest post by a good friend of mine and pilot, call-sign Rebel.  He neglected to give me permission to share any job specifics in his bio when sharing Major Fisher’s story, and even suggested that I take the credit for writing this piece if I didn’t want to just say that he was […]

AFSOC Releases Details of Aborted Rescue Mission That Critically Wounded Four Navy SEALs

According to recent reporting from Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs, the details surrounding the failed CV-22 insertion into Bor, South Sudan in support of the evacuation of American citizens in December 2013 have been released. The mission began “in the early hours of 21 December 2013, when three […]