A 1957 State Department publication of “Suggestions for Wives from Other Foreign Service Wives” introduced the idea that the main…
The Light at the End of the Tunnel — Surviving a Nazi POW Camp
Fredrick Irving’s plane was shot down over Magyarovar, Hungary during World War II. Right after hitting the ground, three Hungarian farmers…
Counterinsurgency in Eastern Afghanistan 2004-2008 — An Overview
It is impossible to understand the War in Afghanistan, now the longest war in American history, much less the motives…
The Risk of a Lonely Drive: The U.S. Consul General in Guadalajara Describes His Kidnapping
Mexico has often been a dangerous place, particularly in the 1970s with the heightened activity of organized crime syndicates and…
Counterinsurgency in Eastern Afghanistan — Security
In December 2001, as per the Bonn Agreement signed in reaction to the September 11 attacks, the North Atlantic Treaty…
“We are as Firm as a Monkey Tail” – Baby Doc Duvalier Leaves Haiti
For much of the 20th century, Haiti was under the control of the Duvalier family, headed by Francois “Papa Doc”…
Counterinsurgency in Eastern Afghanistan — Governance
After 9/11, the United States recognized the instability within made Afghanistan a sanctuary and breeding ground for terrorism — evident…
The Dominican Civil War of 1965
In the period immediately following the assassination of General Rafael Trujillo, known as “El Jefe,” the Dominican Republic was in…
The U.S. Ambassador to Panama Reflects on the Fall of Manuel Noriega
For most of the 1980s, Panama was controlled by one man — General Manuel Noriega, who had been trained by…
The Khobar Tower Bombings
On June 25, 1996 a truck containing an estimated 5,000-pound bomb drove to the northern perimeter of the Khobar Towers…