One of Kurdistan’s largest dams is in desperate need of repairs

One of Kurdistan’s largest dams is in desperate need of repairs

Iraqi Kurdistan’s infrastructure has suffered drastically over the last few years. Everything from the Islamic State, construction failure, and natural disasters have caused considerable amounts of damage. Overall, everything has put a strain on the economy and that in turn has made upkeep very difficult as well. A particularly bad example of this (or good […]

Opinion: The great lie of the internet

Opinion: The great lie of the internet

Someone with access to the internet does not have all the world’s information at their fingertips, but it certainly feels that way. The dawn of the internet shot the information age light years ahead. Resources like Wikipedia, dictionary.com, sites that compile news together from multiple sources, and access to unlimited TED talks and history documents […]

None of the initiatives proposed after Parkland would have stopped the Santa Fe shooter

None of the initiatives proposed after Parkland would have stopped the Santa Fe shooter

Tragedy struck in a Santa Fe high school on Friday, as a lone gunman walked onto campus brandishing two firearms and the intent to kill. Ten students would fall dead before 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis would turn himself in, admitting that he intended to take his own life, but lacked the courage. For Americans, Friday’s death […]

Ground zero; revisiting Columbine

Ground zero; revisiting Columbine

The latest school shooting in Texas and the details about the perpetrator that filled the media prompted a flashback to April 20th, 1999. On that date, two students of the Columbine high school in Colorado, Eric Harris and Dylan Clebold, entered the school and shot and killed 13 and injured 21 people. Their original plan […]

‘The Expanse’: Divisiveness and turmoil in the solar system

‘The Expanse’: Divisiveness and turmoil in the solar system

“The Expanse” is a science fiction television series originally aired by Syfy, and based on the novels of the same name by James S. A. Corey. The story is set 200 years in the future, where our solar system has been completely colonized. The main powers exist on Earth, Mars and the asteroid belt, each […]

The Niger Ambush After Action Review: What Really Happened?

The Niger Ambush After Action Review: What Really Happened?

In the aftermath of the deadly ambush that killed four American soldiers near Tongo Tongo, Niger, we outlined the context and background of U.S. Special Forces in Africa and specifically in Niger, examined what happened during the ambush to the best of our ability, and detailed the attempted rescue mission to repatriate La David Johnson. […]

Opinion: Why do you need so many guns?

Opinion: Why do you need so many guns?

As the gun debate continues to rage in this country, the social media conversation has been dominated by memes and straw man arguments bandied about by the most hard headed among both groups — with gun control and gun rights advocates both circling their proverbial wagons and congratulating one another on the new and witty […]

How to breach a door using a shotgun

How to breach a door using a shotgun

Utilizing a shotgun to defeat a door in CQB is a technique that is not only efficient but also relatively cost-effective in terms of specialized equipment. Really it requires very little other than a shotgun and the correct ammunition. The shotgun itself should be a tertiary weapon to the breacher’s sidearm and primary weapon in […]

US weighs in on Iraq’s parliamentary elections

US weighs in on Iraq’s parliamentary elections

According to reports from United States based observers, the recent parliamentary elections in Iraq were entirely “credible” and the claims of fraud heard from various political parties are unfounded. Heather Nauert, representative for the U.S. State Department, stated that, “The IHEC is investigating and taking a close look at fraud and intimidation. They have reported to us that they […]

Twitter Diplomacy: How Russia’s Foreign Ministry uses social media like a millennial

Twitter Diplomacy: How Russia’s Foreign Ministry uses social media like a millennial

In this line of work, you grow pretty accustomed to reading between the lines in diplomatic correspondence. Aside from President Trump, most national figures and diplomats have a way of dancing around a subject through clever phrasing and word choices, ensuring that even the most damning of accusations are delivered in a manner that retains […]