Political Assassination in the Modern Era: Fiction, Fantasy, and the Facts Behind the Trigger
A Classic Thriller That Still Hits The Target I recently re-read The Day of the Jackal, Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel about a political assassination attempt in Europe. It’s an elegant piece of storytelling—meticulous, restrained, and grounded in realism. The assassin, known as “The Jackal,” is not a rough and tough former Special Forces Soldier in […]
More to the Cult of the Special Operator: Guys are just bigger today
Then and Now: A Quiet Professional’s Reflection For decades Special Operators from all branches were for the most part lean and mean. For the current generation the emphasis seems to be on muscle mass. What happened? And why? I joined USMC 2d Force Recon in the late 1970’s. Of course we had a few buffed […]
China–U.S. Economic Warfare in Latin America: An Intelligence Officer’s Perspective
When people talk about U.S.–China competition, most think of the South China Sea, Taiwan, or tech wars. But there’s another front much closer to home, and it’s unfolding every day across Latin America. As a former intelligence officer with decades of experience tracking global influence campaigns, to include in this specific AOR, I can tell […]
The Quiet Battlefield: Superpower competition for Influence in Resource-Rich Regions
A War Without Bombs and Bullets Not every conflict is marked by tanks, airstrikes, or televised press briefings. Some battles are fought quietly—in boardrooms, in trade agreements, and in the dusty corners of countries most people can’t find on a map. These are the battles for influence in resource-rich regions, and they matter just as […]