Published in the Foreign Service Journal Lessons learned since I first served in an Embassy in 2002

We are excited to announce our first episode of the podcast “we’re just talking about it” is in the can and out for review with our early listeners. Host Jason Criss Howk and cohost and producer Hollie Fleck will be having a conversation in plain English every other week to help people understand Islam. Not… Read More New Podcast: Islam 101– the conversation we should have started on 12 Sept 2001

I’m knee deep into writing a book about Afghanistan and have engaged in many discussions with Afghan Hands across the Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational spectrum. Some early thoughts… 1. American presidents have poorly communicated why the US and the coalition are there and how they define success and how it will be achieved. A.… Read More Afghanistan: How and Why

In his final public appearance as Assistant to the President for National Security LTG McMaster provides some thoughts for us to absorb and act upon. “Russia employs sophisticated strategies deliberately designed to achieve objectives while falling below the target state’s threshold for a military response.” See full remarks here 3 April

Jason Criss Howk, This story is one of the reasons why I travel around America talking to non-Muslims about Islam and Muslim cultures. Read about two female bigots as they train their children to hate Muslims in Arizona. In 2015 I retired from the Army and decided to take action to make America more tolerant… Read More Why I’ve spent almost 3 years talking about Islam

President Ghani has pushed again to get the Taliban to rejoin Afghan society by entering into the Peace and Reconciliation Process that Afghans agreed to in 2010, with the support of the international community. The Taliban, as they have been since 2009 when they heard of the initial offers, are divided on the idea. As… Read More The Taliban are in a Bind, but are they Willing to Make a Deal

So it looks like the FBI and others had taken notice of the latest coward child-murderer…yet it happened— again. Dear U.S. and local government, We must be proactive and interdict shooters. If you hear politicians calling for more praying or calling for banning firearms you can bet they don’t understand this problem. I have repeatedly… Read More Prayer and Gun Bans Won’t Stop Mass Murderers