By Peter Dorrie With the exception of Syria, African countries currently get the worst rep when it comes to violence and conflict. Virtually every story coming out of the continent seems to showcase one atrocity or another. This narrative is both true and false. In 2014, Africa experienced more than half of worldwide conflict…
Category: Warfare
Military History: How Stealth was Baptized by Fire During Desert Storm 25 Years Ago
One of the most spellbinding military capabilities used 25 years ago during the Operation Desert Storm was stealth technology. Despite many billions of dollars invested, until that point it had never been proven in actual combat on a large scale. This would change in the opening moments of the conflict as F-117s raided Baghdad with…
6 Lessons Being a Military Pilot Taught Me For Life
These are all tried and true Principles that every Armed Civilian can use..think about them and how they are all Applicable to you personally. -SF Lessons from being a military aviator can make your life better, Carl Forsling, a former MV-22B Osprey pilot, writes. Being a military pilot has some skills that cross over to…
As a Vet, Here’s How I feel Watching Continued Fighting in A-Stan
Marine veteran Chris Jones, who served with the infantry in Afghanistan, reflects on the 15th year of the Afghan War. Last year, thousands of Iraq combat veterans watched the country they’d fought in fall to ISIS. Days ago, a dusty city named Marjah made headlines after a Special Forces soldier was killed there. The same…
Examining the Future of Ground, Naval and Air Combat
The following are three articles from the Cipher Brief I collated into one big article for the convenience of reading it in one sitting. These are good, relevant and succinct articles with little fluff.-SF Ground Warfare After the United States emerged from the Vietnam War, it witnessed the events of the 1973 Yom…
Awesome WW2 GunCam Footage with Ronald Reagan Narrating
I know there are tons of these types of clips floating around YouTube, but I thought this one was pretty cool. It shows some of the most hellish dogfighting of the war, as Germany threw all it had left at us as we pushed toward Berlin. It’s a nice touch too with that good ole’…
Military History: What the 173rd Airborne Looked Like Two Centuries Ago
Historic reoccurrence is a controversial concept. However, events, especially in military history, often take place in similar sites. The reason for this phenomenon is simple. Throughout centuries logistics, weaponry and technology change, but terrain and strategic points continue to shape military campaigns. Consequently, soldiers’ accounts share similarities in impressions, discomforts and adventures, even if they happen…
Wingate’s Way: Leadership Lessons from Britain’s Maverick General
I highly recommend Anglin’s book Orde Wingate: Unconventional Warrior for those of you who have an interest in learning about Counter-Insurgency Warfare and it’s timeless principles.-SF “Orde Wingate’s experiences from World War Two offer lessons for 21st Century military planners, particularly in the areas of counter-insurgency, covert and special operations and proxy wars.” By Dr. Simon Anglin MAJOR GENERAL Orde…
ISIS vs Al-Qaeda: The War Within the Jihadist Movement
Understanding your enemy and more importantly your enemies weaknesses is key to dismantling their infrastructure and eventually their organization and then plnating them in the ground where they belong.-SF The post-Arab Spring period has seen extraordinary growth in the global jihadist movement. In addition to theIslamic State seizing a vast swathe of territory spanning Syria…
Dose of Truth: 9 Reasons to Fear Mexican Drug Cartels More than ISIS (WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS)
Mexican drug cartels continue to fascinate the minds of Americans who tend to idolize outlaw gunmen with fast cash, fancy cars, guns and women. However, few realize that Mexican drug cartels are as ruthless and sadistic as Middle Easter terror groups like ISIS with whom they actually have many tactics in common. For most in America,…