"A few of the remaining SEALS at the Amphib Base said we took out the oil platform. "

Triumph of the Swill

“Schwarzkopf’s got a hard-on for special ops. He and General Stiner, who commands SEALS and Special Forces, can’t stand each other. Then there’s the rivalry between Army line officers —artillery, infantry, armor — and Special Forces snake-eaters. A ground-pounder like Schwarzkopf is not about to let the Gulf become a showcase for special operations — especially after Stiner hogged the glory in Panama.”

“At least Stiner’s kept in shape. I never seen such fat generals as Schwarzkopf and Kelly."

By Bill Thompson, April 4, 1991 | Read full article

"I’m just a 15-year-old girl in California, and this battle is being fought on the other side of the world."

Plenty of Time to Fret

The “civilians dying” part stressed me out more than the idea of war. While everyone was concerned with the welfare of our troops, I worried about innocents dying. Most people I knew didn’t understand that, and I was rebuked for not backing our troops. I couldn’t identify with soldiers and their families because I’m a civilian, and I think I knew how the Iraqis felt. My outlook changed when my neighbor, a Navy SEAL, was shipped out.

May 8, 2003 | Read full article

The Loose Cannon Rolls Again

In 1991 Jack had gone to Lithuania to train their federal police commandos. He has never admitted working for the Department of Defense, but they were aware of the operation and approved it at the highest level. He won the heart of the Lithuanian cops by outshooting their national champion after a formal dinner, which is to say a lot of vodka with some food on the side. They shot in a basement under police headquarters.

By Jim Morris, June 5, 2003 | Read full article

Chris Schnaubelt inside the Water Palace. For security reasons, I can’t take photos of the outside of the palace.

Nothing Like the Movies

The current threats are car bombs against the vehicles lined up to get inside the Green Zone or rockets or mortars fired from a mile or a couple miles away. Fortunately, with our present security posture, it’s very difficult to be accurate with rocket and mortar fires because they don’t have a chance to aim and adjust. They usually point the things in our general direction, use a timer to set them off, then run away.

By Chris Schnaubelt, March 18, 2004 | Read full article

The author. "We could not tell if they were shouting at us or to us, so we kept weapons ready and smiled and waved."

Medicine Soldier in Iraq

When we crossed the border, it was like night and day between the two countries. Although Northern Kuwait is still rebuilding from the Gulf War, it is far superior to its neighbor. As we crossed, the kids and dogs came running up to the convoys to watch and wave. It was like being in a National Geographic episode, except I was holding a loaded weapon and we were riding down the road at 45 mph.

February 1, 2007 | Read full article

MH-47 (Chinook) landing. If SEALs properly planned their operation, aircraft could be strafing, rocketing, and bombing within minutes of enemy contact.

Why (and How?) Did a Navy SEAL Die in Afghanistan?

Wild maneuvering of the helo sent Roberts tumbling onto the hot LZ (landing zone). Men inside the helo noticed Roberts was missing almost immediately — not several minutes later when the helo crash-landed.

But the damaged hydraulic system prevented any immediate return for their mate. In fact, an empty second helo in the area for just such an emergency had to rescue the remaining SEALs and crew before it could do anything for Roberts.

By Bill Salisbury, April 4, 2002 | Read full article

There in the steamy kitchen, grape leaves simmering on the stove, BBC fading in and out on the shortwave, we had the appearance of coziness and purpose.

Grape Leaves and the Gulf War

Leah made me promise I wouldn’t tell Marc she wanted to leave. She would, she said, tell him herself. Day after day news came of Iraqi troops along the Kuwaiti border. American military advisors were seen in the bars and cares around the King David Hotel. Letters from Australia, or America, that usually took weeks to arrive appeared in our mailboxes three or four days after they were mailed.

By Max Nash, Feb 3, 2000 | Read full article