The language and propaganda of the Taliban

Propaganda has existed in countless forms throughout history, as those in positions of power have tended to try to sway the public opinion one way or another in order to achieve certain goals. This facet of human nature has not changed much in the last few thousand years, only their methods. People tend to argue […]

Tattoos: Branding victims of human trafficking

Human beings have used markings to denote ownership since before written language. They still use it on livestock, like a brand or a tag on cattle. Unfortunately, they have historically done this to other human beings as well — sometimes it’s in the form of brands or scarring, sometimes it’s in the form of tattoos. […]

Pakistani party leader killed in Taliban suicide bombing, along with 19 others

Peshawar — A suicide bomb ripped through a political rally in Pakistan on Tuesday night. 20 people were killed, and approximately 63 were wounded. Among the dead was the politician Haroon Bilour, 47, of the Awami National Party. The Taliban in Pakistan (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan or TTP) have claimed responsibility for the attack. The Pakistan general […]

Reading (and writing) about war in the information age

The way the details of war have been communicated has changed quite a bit in the last few hundred years, then again in the last hundred years, and finally again since the dawn of the internet. What was once a void of information has been filled, and sometimes oversaturated with reports, books and firsthand accounts […]

Pompeo calls for peace between Afghan government and Taliban in unannounced visit

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Afghanistan on Monday, without announcement, flying there from Vietnam. He first praised the forward momentum toward peace talks between warring parties in Afghanistan and credited much of the progress to President Trump’s implementation of his south Asia strategy. He has echoed the sentiments of many up to this point […]

Opinion: Human trafficking is a reoccurring crime, not an epidemic

Many headlines, articles and even conversations in regards to human trafficking refer to it as if it’s some sort of epidemic. It’s a problem that each country struggles with, even nations like the United States. It happens in cities and towns and everywhere in between. It’s probably happening in the nearest small town and nearest […]

Soviet-era nerve agent kills UK citizen

Another Novichok nerve agent has struck the U.K. recently, claiming one life and leaving another in critical condition in the hospital. Dawn Sturgess has tragically died, and Charlie Rowley remains in the hospital. Sturgess, 44, was a mother of three. Last Saturday, Rowley and Sturgess of Amesbury, England were transported to the hospital after being found […]

‘The Magnificent Seven’ (1960) — A tale of an honest cause

If you haven’t seen the movie, don’t spoil it here — watch it first, then come back. “The Magnificent Seven” by John Sturges is a reimagining of one of my favorite films, “Seven Samurai.” Instead of a tumultuous time in old Japan, “The Magnificent Seven” is set in the Old West, just across the border […]

Burma: The constant threat of landmines

When I was in Burma on my first trip, we had a guide leading us through the jungle who seemed to know every inch of the place. This was before my military experience, and I was fairly young and certainly dumb, but I did my best to follow all instructions laid out by light hearted, […]