On May 3, 2016, US Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Keating IV was fatally wounded in Tal Askuf, Iraq, during a firefight with the Islamic State. Keating was a SEAL assigned to a quick-reaction force (QRF) sent in to rescue eleven Americans who were advising the Kurdish Peshmerga. It appears that the OPSEC or…
Reading tea leaves in the Middle East
April 11, 2016
For me, reading the tea leaves in the Middle East is exciting. All I see is good news. Keep in mind, though, the caliber of the people who are reshaping the region. The leaders and the men carrying out combat missions are a new breed. It’ll take decades for the rest of us to catch…