https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news 2026-10-01T22:32:58-04:00 weekly https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays 2026-10-01T22:03:29-04:00 weekly https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club 2026-09-30T18:25:06-04:00 weekly https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/events 2026-10-01T22:32:57-04:00 weekly https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/elliot-ackerman-on-china-taiwan-and-future-war 2026-09-20T16:00:33-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Elliot_Ackerman_NewsNation_Interview_Leland_Vittert_faf8ee97-1276-4dfa-8da2-9e8d5c8cc0d8.jpg?v=1779819188 Elliot Ackerman on China, Taiwan, and Future War https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/how-being-an-intelligence-officer-made-me-a-better-writer 2026-06-05T15:49:06-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Elliot_Black_and_White_USMC_626c425a-0108-4215-8c0d-661ae358ecb5.jpg?v=1780688946 How Being an Intelligence Officer Made Me a Better Writer Portrait of Elliot Ackerman during military service early in the Global War on Terror https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/watching-future-war-unfold 2026-06-05T15:48:38-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Naval_Units_from_Iran_and_Russia_Carry_out_Joint_Drills_Near_the_Strait_of_Hormuz_in_Iran_ab9b5527-e031-40b0-a17f-fb4bee0e5ad0.jpg?v=1780688918 Watching Future War Unfold Iranian naval forces conducting military exercises near the Strait of Hormuz amid rising regional tensions https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-veterans-who-become-novelists 2026-06-05T15:48:13-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Vietnam_Soldier_Main_Image_Free_Press_Veterans_Who_Become_Novelists_e7aa2fe2-4760-4da2-9d49-d53aef8b1ff3.jpg?v=1780688893 The Veterans Who Become Novelists Vietnam War-era Marine sitting on an armored vehicle while writing in a notebook during combat operations in a rugged field environment https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-moral-catastrophe-in-afghanistan 2026-06-05T15:47:46-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Afghan_Shura_The_Atlantic_bfd35677-4916-402e-a89e-a7f89c5d69a0.jpg?v=1780688866 The Moral Catastrophe in Afghanistan U.S. and Afghan personnel meeting with local Afghan village elders during a security discussion in rural Afghanistan amid the U.S. war effort https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-rivalry-that-defines-america 2026-06-05T15:47:09-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Rivalry_That_Defines_America_The_Atlantic_Elliot_Ackerman_0d148d64-87eb-4acd-bd98-454646d67e43.jpg?v=1780688829 The Rivalry That Defines America Illustration depicting two figures pulling opposing red lines, symbolizing geopolitical rivalry, strategic competition, and conflict between global powers https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-two-marys 2026-06-05T15:46:25-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Two_Marys_Atlantic_Article_Elliot_Ackerman_cb7d5378-2860-430f-a7b1-6918e25b6351.jpg?v=1780688785 The Two Marys Composite illustration featuring portraits of Mary Queen of Scots and Marie Antoinette, symbolizing political legitimacy, monarchy, and historical rivalry in European history https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/firing-line-on-afghanistan 2026-09-19T22:06:00-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Elliot_Ackerman_Full_Episode_9.9.22_Firing_Line_with_Margaret_Hoover_PBS_Elliot_Ackerman_13489f4d-ce93-4c5e-bbd5-7a7b58919437.jpg?v=1780689475 Firing Line on Afghanistan Margaret Hoover interviewing Elliot Ackerman on PBS Firing Line during a discussion about Afghanistan, war, and American foreign policy https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/ukraine-s-three-to-one-advantage 2026-09-19T22:06:00-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Fmr._Marine_Elliot_Ackerman_Ukraine_Has_a_Three-to-One_Advantage_Amanpour_and_Company_39e82509-db44-4008-b22b-77a242b5d5ac.jpg?v=1780689422 Ukraine’s Three-to-One Advantage Walter Isaacson interviewing Elliot Ackerman on Amanpour & Company during a discussion about Ukraine, Russia, military strategy, and the war in Kyiv https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/escaping-the-taliban 2026-09-19T22:06:00-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Sunday_Morning_Feature_Elliot_Ackerman_3bd753a1-6e22-4e11-baff-b75b803c68e9.jpg?v=1780689365 Escaping the Taliban Elliot Ackerman speaking with CBS News correspondent David Martin during a CBS Sunday Morning interview about Afghanistan, the Taliban withdrawal, and his book The Fifth Act https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/fallujah-war-and-memory 2026-09-19T22:06:00-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Elliot_Ackerman_Combat_Story_II_USMC_Fallujah_War_Memory_73d56132-e548-4602-b06e-b8bfd41c817c.jpg?v=1780689313 Fallujah, War, and Memory Young Elliot Ackerman in U.S. Marine Corps uniform during his early military service, featured in Combat Story during a discussion of Fallujah, war, and military leadership https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/2084-and-the-future-of-war 2026-09-19T22:06:01-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/NPR_All_Things_Considered_2084_and_the_Future_of_War_Elliot_Ackerman_55b73644-c29d-4ec1-9cc5-c9e0ad895a69.jpg?v=1780689036 2084 and the Future of War Soldier operating a military drone at night with illuminated red and green lights, symbolizing advanced drone warfare, surveillance technology, and the future of conflict envisioned in 2084 https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/spy-chat-with-chris-costa 2026-09-30T18:47:56-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Spy_Chat_with_Chris_Costa_Elliot_Ackerman_51cc040e-a12e-4875-9ca7-259acab09447.jpg?v=1790808476 Spy Chat with Chris Costa Spy Chat at the International Spy Museum featuring Chris Costa and Elliot Ackerman discussing intelligence, national security, terrorism, future warfare, and the release of 2084: A Novel of Future War. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/elliot-ackerman-on-cbs-news-discusses-defense-spending-iran-and-u-s-strategy 2026-09-30T18:49:23-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_News_Hegseth_1.5T_Defense_Budget_June_1_2026_6ccc900f-e0a4-43cb-9df8-8a860cd30bc6.jpg?v=1790808563 Elliot Ackerman on CBS News: Iran and U.S. Strategy CBS News contributor Elliot Ackerman speaks remotely from Washington during a live CBS News segment discussing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget, Iran, and U.S. military strategy. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/2084-on-the-cipher-briefs-state-secrets-podcast 2026-09-30T19:04:31-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/State_Secrets_Podcast_June_2_2026_3647b201-8520-4855-9ee0-6dbb6e7cf2b7.jpg?v=1790809471 2084 on The Cipher Brief’s State Secrets Podcast Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis on The Cipher Brief's State Secrets Podcast discussing 2084, artificial intelligence, future warfare, climate change, geopolitics, and national security. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/met-gala-2026-fashion-might-be-art-but-its-not-always-pretty 2026-06-05T15:45:17-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Met_Gala_2026_Nicole_Kidman_Lauren_Sanchez_Bezos_Anna_Wintour_Elliot_Ackerman_34211219-a748-475c-84ed-7a27c81f8ac6.jpg?v=1780688717 Met Gala 2026: Fashion, Style, and Celebrity Spectacle Nicole Kidman, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, and Anna Wintour attend the 2026 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 4, 2026, celebrating the Costume Institute's "Fashion is Art" exhibition. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/inside-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner 2026-06-05T15:44:50-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/White_House_Correspondents_Dinner_2026_ba9e771b-bd4f-4a5e-b2d7-29dcb98420de.jpg?v=1780688690 Inside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Federal security officers with rifles secure the White House Correspondents' Dinner ballroom at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, following a shooting incident near the event attended by journalists, government officials, and members of the media. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/is-trump-asking-troops-to-commit-war-crimes 2026-06-05T15:44:24-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Is_Trump_Asking_Troop_To_Commit_War_Crimes_1ccaa193-4cd5-4880-8151-e1ada20cd187.jpg?v=1780688664 Is Trump Asking Troops to Commit War Crimes? U.S. military service members seated in uniform during a public event, illustrating themes of military ethics, lawful orders, international law, and the responsibilities of troops during armed conflict. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/elliot-ackerman-2026-deerfield-academy-commencement-address 2026-09-30T18:51:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Deerfield_Commencement_Address_Elliot_Ackerman_May_24_2026_YT_Thumbnail_e165e7b8-3873-41d5-8dcc-f7d5ecb2609b.jpg?v=1790808672 Deerfield Commencement Address Elliot Ackerman delivers the 2026 Deerfield Academy commencement address from the podium before graduating students, faculty, and guests at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-case-against-the-war 2026-06-05T15:43:59-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Case_Against_War_-_Elliot_Ackerman_22ec1fe7-4d99-43aa-9f14-7c9a3ec1364f.jpg?v=1780688639 The Case Against the War Crowds gather amid smoke and Iranian flags during a nighttime protest in Iran, illustrating themes of regime change, political unrest, and instability discussed in Elliot Ackerman's essay The Case Against the War. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-ice-shooters-trauma-is-no-defense 2026-06-05T15:43:28-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/ICE_Shooter_s_Trauma_is_No_Defense_-_Elliot_Ackerman_9583a89b-5a31-4aea-9e7d-e8b2d6bf2237.jpg?v=1780688608 The ICE Shooter's Trauma Is No Defense https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-speak-from-the-heart 2026-06-12T15:52:15-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Speak_from_the_Heart_72b09f50-a866-4af8-a713-5fddd985cb8f.jpg?v=1781293935 A Man Should Know: How to Speak from the Heart A speaker addresses a seated audience during a discussion, illustrating themes of public speaking, storytelling, communication, and audience engagement explored in Elliot Ackerman's essay A Man Should Know: How to Speak from the Heart. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-read 2026-06-12T16:15:51-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Read_2d0ed44b-25ab-431c-937a-2c9109b1ef3e.jpg?v=1781295351 A Man Should Know: How to Read Elliot Ackerman reads from an open book in a study, illustrating themes of reading, literature, lifelong learning, and the transformative power of books explored in A Man Should Know: How to Read. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-wear-a-tuxedo 2026-06-12T16:29:55-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Wear_a_Tuxedo_980d60a3-a9f2-4e1d-a772-9475dfabc36b.jpg?v=1781296195 A Man Should Know: How to Wear a Tuxedo A tailor measures and fits a young boy for a formal jacket, illustrating themes of menswear, tailoring, formal dress, and learning the traditions of dressing well discussed in Elliot Ackerman's essay A Man Should Know: How to Wear a Tuxedo. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-host 2026-06-12T16:38:18-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Host.jpg?v=1781296698 A Man Should Know: How to Host Guests gather around a candlelit dinner table during an elegant evening gathering, illustrating themes of hospitality, friendship, hosting, and creating meaningful experiences explored in Elliot Ackerman's essay A Man Should Know: How to Host. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-propose 2026-06-12T16:46:26-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Propose.jpg?v=1781297186 A Man Should Know: How to Propose A person places an engagement ring on their partner's finger, illustrating themes of marriage, commitment, love, and the proposal process discussed in Elliot Ackerman's essay A Man Should Know: How to Propose. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-travel 2026-06-12T16:54:45-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Travel_8f91d592-043e-47ea-8d12-730825a5523f.jpg?v=1781297685 A Man Should Know: How to Travel Passengers rest aboard a long-distance aircraft while a flight attendant assists travelers during an overnight journey, illustrating themes of air travel, comfort, and travel etiquette explored in Elliot Ackerman's essay A Man Should Know: How to Travel. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-say-thank-you 2026-06-12T19:26:21-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Say_Thank_You_1eb54234-1927-4715-97a9-047497ec5b04.jpg?v=1781306781 A Man Should Know: How to Say Thank You A handwritten thank-you note rests beside an addressed envelope, illustrating themes of gratitude, personal correspondence, and thoughtful communication explored in Elliot Ackerman's essay A Man Should Know: How to Say Thank You. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-own-a-watch 2026-06-12T19:27:31-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Own_a_Watch_8e3d092d-91fe-46b3-b61e-310351cec2cf.jpg?v=1781306851 A Man Should Know: How to Own a Watch A wristwatch peeks out from beneath the cuff of a denim jacket, illustrating themes of craftsmanship, personal history, and meaningful possessions explored in Elliot Ackerman's essay A Man Should Know: How to Own a Watch. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-form-an-opinion 2026-06-12T17:19:30-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Form_an_Opinion_aa3dc33c-b91b-4c4e-880d-cd7ea3af75e4.jpg?v=1781299170 A Man Should Know: How to Form an Opinion Students participate in a group discussion and debate in a school library, illustrating themes of critical thinking, civil discourse, and understanding different perspectives explored in Elliot Ackerman's essay A Man Should Know: How to Form an Opinion. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-be-a-friend 2026-06-12T17:28:59-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Be_a_Friend.jpg?v=1781299739 A Man Should Know: How to Be a Friend Two friends rest side by side on surfboards in calm water, illustrating themes of friendship, shared experiences, and the side-by-side connection explored in Elliot Ackerman's essay A Man Should Know: How to Be a Friend. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-should-know-how-to-introduce-himself 2026-06-12T19:25:15-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_Should_Know_-_How_to_Introduce_Himself_666c7dde-9068-4d66-bd01-98d74543d0da.jpg?v=1781306715 A Man Should Know: How to Introduce Himself Elliot Ackerman stands confidently in a room beside a historic tapestry, illustrating themes of personal presence, confidence, communication, and self-presentation explored in A Man Should Know: How to Introduce Himself. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/americas-most-righteous-war-and-catch-22 2026-09-19T22:06:01-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Free_Press_Catch_22_Elliot_Ackerman_and_Shilo_Brooks_8c656208-90a9-4892-a13e-c48f222431a3.jpg?v=1781308045 America’s Most Righteous War and Catch-22 Elliot Ackerman and Shilo Brooks in conversation during an episode of Old School, with the title "The Evils of War" displayed between them as they discuss war, literature, and the enduring lessons of Catch-22. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/a-man-should-know-with-elliot-ackerman 2026-09-19T22:06:01-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Magyn_Kelly_What_a_Man_Should_Know_Elliot_Ackerman_1d92abaa-7e9b-4751-8d58-08e12443d8d4.jpg?v=1781380530 A Man Should Know with Elliot Ackerman Megyn Kelly and Elliot Ackerman discuss the A Man Should Know series, featuring the essay "How to Say Thank You," in a segment focused on mentorship, gratitude, and helping boys develop into capable and responsible men. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/the-special-operator 2026-09-19T22:06:01-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Foreign_Policy_The_Special_Operator_Podcast_Elliot_Ackerman_June_9_2026.jpg?v=1781381889 The Special Operator https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/dialogue-the-deerfield-podcast 2026-09-30T18:51:19-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Deerfield_Podcast_Interview_Elliot_Ackerman_YT_Thumbnail_fa77b821-1986-4fea-b7dd-9bd933c0a447.jpg?v=1790808679 Dialogue: The Deerfield Podcast https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/trump-is-risking-another-forever-war 2026-06-17T16:57:27-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Trump_Is_Risking_Another_Forever_War_d5d1eb04-4164-4dd6-8abc-282dda2b9d3a.jpg?v=1781729847 Trump Is Risking Another Forever War Venezuelan civilians gather near security forces during a public demonstration, with national flags visible as armored officers stand among a crowd in Caracas following political unrest and government tensions. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/hegseth-the-law-of-war-and-fallujah 2026-06-17T17:10:22-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Hegseth_Unbound_the_Troops_and_Ran_Into_the_Law_0fa58899-ba0b-4a81-af61-01857fd9a36b.jpg?v=1781730622 Hegseth, the Law of War, and Fallujah Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense, sits at a conference table in a dark suit and red checkered tie during an official government meeting, with military and departmental flags visible in the background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/i-served-in-the-cias-zero-units 2026-06-17T17:28:30-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/I_Served_in_the_CIA_s_Zero_Units_in_Afghanistan_662cc8db-2334-43fb-bd0b-36dcd49521b0.jpg?v=1781731710 I Served in the CIA’s Zero Units U.S. military personnel stand near a crowd of Afghan civilians behind concertina wire during the evacuation at Kabul airport following the fall of Afghanistan in 2021. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/pete-hegseth-and-warrior-culture 2026-06-17T17:38:01-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Pete_Hegseth_Wants_a_Warrior_Culture._Does_He_Know_What_That_Means_f795a802-d90a-4a62-be1a-120b63005792.jpg?v=1781732281 Pete Hegseth and Warrior Culture U.S. Navy Sailors participate in a cold-water endurance training exercise, linked arm-in-arm in the surf while enduring physical and mental stress during a warrior training event. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/do-not-mourn-me-dead 2026-06-17T17:49:22-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Things_Worth_Remembering_Do_Not_Mourn_Me_Dead_3ae87d56-92df-4ac2-a636-3187e1111b7e.jpg?v=1781732962 Do Not Mourn Me Dead Historic Civil War soldiers gather in a field encampment, resting and preparing near defensive earthworks, in a black-and-white photograph associated with Memorial Day remembrance and military sacrifice. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/met-gala-fashion-police-whos-the-dandiest 2026-06-18T14:50:31-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Met_Gala_Fashion_Police_Who_s_the_Dandiest_56e7b863-943a-4cb6-9577-f7d390e50d9e.jpg?v=1781808631 Met Gala Fashion Police: Who's the Dandiest? Zendaya attends the 2025 Met Gala wearing a tailored white three-piece Louis Vuitton pantsuit and oversized wide-brimmed white hat, interpreting the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" theme with a minimalist menswear-inspired look. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/how-to-dress-like-a-gentleman-and-why 2026-06-18T15:07:50-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/How_to_Dress_Like_a_Gentleman_and_Why_0b988649-944b-48ad-beae-c8c569c1b706.jpg?v=1781809670 How to Dress Like a Gentleman—and Why Portrait of Elliot Ackerman seated in a dark, wood-paneled room https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/why-does-pete-hegseth-keep-talking-about-warfighters 2026-06-18T15:20:40-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Why_Does_Pete_Hegseth_Keep_Talking_About_Warfighters_b5a084a8-b306-45ba-81b5-bfdb612bd712.jpg?v=1781810440 Why Does Pete Hegseth Keep Talking About ‘Warfighters’? Pete Hegseth https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-us-isnt-ready-for-a-modern-war 2026-06-18T15:30:00-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_U.S._Isn_t_Ready_for_a_Modern_War_f9240df3-91f8-4781-934a-e3448e87ad69.jpg?v=1781811000 The U.S. Isn’t Ready for a Modern War F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet flying at high speed, creating a visible vapor cone as it approaches transonic flight during an aerial demonstration. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/in-trump-i-see-a-combat-leader 2026-06-18T15:42:28-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/In_Trump_I_See_a_Combat_Leader_e63b0405-688e-4a31-88f6-5fa885e4e267.jpg?v=1781811748 In Trump, I See a Combat Leader Donald Trump raises his fist and speaks to supporters as U.S. Secret Service agents surround and protect him on stage, with an American flag visible in the background following an assassination attempt at a campaign rally. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/christopher-nolans-big-bang 2026-06-18T15:51:08-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Christopher_Nolan_s_Big_Bang_01d2761b-34cf-4341-8647-7bb2b21e46f4.jpg?v=1781812268 Christopher Nolan’s Big Bang Promotional image for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, featuring the silhouette of J. Robert Oppenheimer against fiery clouds and smoke, with the film title displayed prominently across the center. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/world-war-iii 2026-09-30T18:51:38-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/World_War_III_493fe427-4fed-4596-91aa-85b26e9b2d51.jpg?v=1790808698 World War III? Historic black-and-white photograph of a massive nuclear mushroom cloud rising above the Pacific Ocean https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/bring-back-the-war-department 2026-06-18T16:26:09-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Bring_Back_the_War_Department.jpg?v=1781814369 Bring Back the War Department Composite illustration accompanying Elliot Ackerman’s essay Bring Back the War Department https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/june-2026-book-club-the-adventures-of-juan-planchard 2026-09-20T16:52:11-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Adventures_of_Juan_Planchard_by_Jonathan_Jakubowicz_42f2d77b-8d87-443f-bc0a-e5831b7208f3.jpg?v=1789780724 June 2026 Book Club Pick - The Adventures of Juan Planchard Book cover of The Adventures of Juan Planchard by Jonathan Jakubowicz https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/the-free-press-summer-reading-list-2026 2026-09-19T22:06:02-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Summer_Reading_List_2026_Elliot_Ackerman_ab5c2089-6355-4d2e-847e-80ae2cfd6e61.jpg?v=1782077188 The Free Press Summer Reading List People relaxing and reading books on a sunlit deck, featured image from The Free Press Summer Reading List 2026 highlighting summer reading, literature, and book recommendations. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-abandonment-of-ukraine 2026-06-22T14:28:15-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Abandonment_of_Ukraine_114b8d65-a6f7-405f-9730-52d0b608cc4d.jpg?v=1782152895 The Abandonment of Ukraine Civilian in a red coat stands before a damaged apartment building in Ukraine as thick black smoke rises from fires caused by a Russian missile strike, illustrating the destruction of urban areas during the ongoing war. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/hezbollahs-long-war-is-with-america-too 2026-06-22T14:39:21-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Hezbollah_s_Long_War_Is_With_America_Too_08d59008-d96e-420d-a980-8090740257a3.jpg?v=1782153561 Hezbollah's Long War Is With America Too Marine sitting beneath a palm tree in Beirut, Lebanon https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/trumps-medal-of-dishonor 2026-06-22T14:49:45-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Trump_s_Medal_of_Dishonor_b49b8790-2208-41a7-a5fe-9f97cfe950c3.jpg?v=1782154185 Trump's Medal of Dishonor President Donald Trump looks toward a Medal of Honor recipient during a White House ceremony. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-trump-campaign-has-peaked-too-soon 2026-06-22T14:59:57-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Trump_Campaign_Has_Peaked_Too_Soon_277fe1a2-b98e-4a56-a2a6-8a869c896512.jpg?v=1782154797 The Trump Campaign Has Peaked Too Soon Black-and-white photograph of Donald Trump raising his fist while standing onstage at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/lower-the-volume 2026-06-22T15:13:48-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Lower_the_Volume_beb00af0-42a3-4487-aded-781ed8d47db5.jpg?v=1782155628 Lower the Volume Former President Donald Trump, blood visible on his face after the attempted assassination at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he is escorted from the stage. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/war-gaming-for-democracy 2026-06-22T15:23:18-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/War-Gaming_for_Democracy_04672dc3-f6fe-4adc-8b7b-368db9c7865e.jpg?v=1782156198 War-Gaming for Democracy Two stylized eagle statues, one red and one blue, stand facing opposite directions against a neutral background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-one-element-keeping-ukraine-from-total-defeat 2026-06-22T15:32:26-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_One_Element_Keeping_Ukraine_From_Total_Defeat.jpg?v=1782156746 The One Element Keeping Ukraine From Total Defeat Ukrainian soldiers shelter in a frontline trench during the Russia-Ukraine war, pausing amid combat operations in eastern Ukraine. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/meet-the-super-spac 2026-06-22T15:40:41-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Meet_the_Super_SPAC.jpg?v=1782157241 Meet the Super SPAC Attendees move through a No Labels political event as American flags flank large No Labels signs in the background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-knife-fight-in-a-phone-booth 2026-06-22T15:56:39-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Knife_Fight_in_a_Phone_Booth_3cf0ec54-967f-48aa-90ab-83872199608b.jpg?v=1782158199 A Knife Fight in a Phone Booth U.S. Marines move through the streets of Fallujah during intense urban combat as flames and black smoke rise from damaged buildings in the background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/prigozhins-loss-is-ukraines-gain 2026-06-22T16:05:11-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Prigozhin_s_Loss_Is_Ukraine_s_Gain_dfbafb50-0dd9-48aa-8730-03ec1169b375.jpg?v=1782158711 Prigozhin’s Loss Is Ukraine’s Gain Wagner Group fighters ride atop a military vehicle in Rostov-on-Don during Yevgeny Prigozhin’s short-lived rebellion against the Russian government. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-key-to-americas-victory-in-the-second-world-war 2026-06-22T16:15:01-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Key_to_America_s_Victory_in_the_Second_World_War_66ebd829-7545-41c7-bebf-2e531482f4be.jpg?v=1782159301 The Key to America’s Victory in the Second World War American soldiers pause beside a military vehicle during World War II as war correspondent Ernie Pyle speaks with servicemen near the front lines. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/notes-from-a-cemetery 2026-09-30T18:52:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Notes_From_a_Cemetery_1c9c5307-0386-4e91-8521-4fd0a2a32f46.jpg?v=1790808725 Notes From a Cemetery A white marble military headstone stands in a quiet cemetery, with rows of graves blurred in the background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/why-arent-we-evacuating-americans-from-sudan 2026-06-22T16:35:36-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Why_Aren_t_We_Evacuating_Americans_From_Sudan_bebdd732-a76c-4a58-b6a9-4f455f1d72f8.jpg?v=1782160536 Why Aren’t We Evacuating Americans From Sudan? Dark smoke billows over the skyline of Khartoum, Sudan, as conflict erupts between rival military factions. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-arsenal-of-democracy-is-reopening-for-business 2026-06-22T16:44:27-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Arsenal_of_Democracy_Is_Reopening_for_Business_f2b2ff82-f895-4bba-a0a0-930fef327e13.jpg?v=1782161067 The Arsenal of Democracy Is Reopening for Business Workers assemble military rocket launcher systems on a production line inside a Lockheed Martin manufacturing facility in Camden, Arkansas. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-two-stalingrads 2026-06-22T16:54:53-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Two_Stalingrads_5433aee0-c066-4579-8fb1-192b191b1590.jpg?v=1782161693 The Two Stalingrads Black-and-white photograph of the Motherland Calls statue in Volgograd, Russia, raising a sword toward the sky, symbolizing the Battle of Stalingrad https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-next-afghan-refugee-crisis-is-right-here-in-the-us 2026-06-22T17:03:24-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Next_Afghan-Refugee_Crisis_Is_Right_Here_in_the_U.S._02fc8cba-063b-482b-9d8a-5556a449f903.jpg?v=1782162204 The Next Afghan-Refugee Crisis Is Right Here in the U.S. Afghan refugee mother holding a young child while standing near a U.S. service member, symbolizing the resettlement of Afghan evacuees in America. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/victory-brings-its-own-dangers 2026-06-22T17:11:22-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Victory_Brings_Its_Own_Dangers_2e36260a-6e05-43bb-b48d-ec207e65cdca.jpg?v=1782162682 Victory Brings Its Own Dangers Ukrainian national flag flying above a town damaged by war, viewed through the dark silhouette of a ruined building, symbolizing Ukraine’s resilience and determination amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/arsenal-of-democracy-reopens 2026-06-22T17:22:44-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_War_in_Ukraine_Has_Exposed_a_Critical_American_Vulnerability_fa1e0c92-0f33-4d02-b2f1-f84e9296acf0.jpg?v=1782163364 The Arsenal of Democracy Reopens Stacks of color-coded shipping and storage boxes arranged on wooden pallets, illustrating global supply chains, manufacturing logistics, international trade, and the economic infrastructure underpinning modern industrial production. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/our-narrative-of-mass-shootings-is-killing-us 2026-06-23T13:23:52-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Our_Narrative_of_Mass_Shootings_Is_Killing_Us.jpg?v=1782235432 Our Narrative of Mass Shootings Is Killing Us Stylized illustration of an AR-15-style rifle on a gray background, overlaid with a blue infinity symbol that loops around both ends of the firearm, symbolizing the recurring cycle of mass shootings, media attention, and gun violence in America. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-whole-age-of-warfare-sank-with-the-moskva 2026-06-23T13:37:29-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Whole_Age_of_Warfare_Sank_With_the_Moskva.jpg?v=1782236249 A Whole Age of Warfare Sank With the Moskva The Russian Black Sea Fleet cruiser Moskva heavily damaged and listing at sea, with thick black smoke billowing from the vessel after a missile strike during the Russia-Ukraine war, highlighting a pivotal moment in modern naval warfare. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/ukraines-lifeline 2026-06-23T13:55:00-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ukraine_s_Lifeline_8530a01a-4196-4672-a2b6-9622f8b39008.jpg?v=1782237300 Ukraine’s Lifeline Palletized military cargo secured with netting is transported across an airport tarmac at night, illuminated by floodlights as aircraft and logistics operations continue in the background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-rhino-of-kyiv 2026-06-23T14:23:30-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Rhino_of_Kyiv_a661c875-42cc-40d2-9006-f5e4ac206280.jpg?v=1782239010 The Rhino of Kyiv Ukrainian filmmaker and former political prisoner Oleh Sentsov, dressed in military clothing, sits indoors during an interview while serving in Ukraine’s territorial-defense forces amid Russia’s invasion. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/ukraines-three-to-one-advantage 2026-06-23T14:34:33-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ukraine_s_Three-to-One_Advantage.png?v=1782239673 Ukraine’s Three-to-One Advantage Ukrainian soldiers in full combat gear move tactically through a damaged urban street during active operations. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/ask-us-what-weve-seen 2026-06-23T14:45:09-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ask_Us_What_We_ve_Seen.jpg?v=1782240309 Ask Us What We’ve Seen Diptych of American service members photographed in Afghanistan by Adam Ferguson. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-plywood-army 2026-06-23T14:52:48-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Plywood_Army_2002df8a-ff6b-4b0d-b6ba-849866aec57d.jpg?v=1782240768 The Plywood Army Wooden silhouette of a soldier holding a rifle, standing alone against a plain background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/america-afghanistan-cynicism 2026-06-23T15:01:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/America_Will_Have_to_Reckon_With_Its_Cynicism_About_Afghanistan_b5b9e077-68a5-47da-962d-df64c20c89d2.jpg?v=1782241264 America and Afghanistan’s Cynicism Broken window with shattered glass overlooking a street in Afghanistan. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/russia-through-turks-eyes 2026-06-23T15:09:36-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Russia_Through_Turks_Eyes.jpg?v=1782241776 Russia Through Turks' Eyes Turkish honor guards carry the flag-draped coffin of Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov during a formal state funeral ceremony. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/syrias-war-poets 2026-06-23T15:18:40-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Syria_s_War_Poets.jpg?v=1782242320 Syria's War Poets Abandoned amusement park swing ride in a war-damaged Syrian city, with empty chain-hung seats, faded paint, and graffiti-covered walls, symbolizing the impact of conflict on civilian life and childhood spaces. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-case-for-female-seals 2026-06-23T15:28:03-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Case_for_Female_SEALs_a975a7db-5427-4fa8-9650-2f3da83b1edb.jpg?v=1782242883 The Case for Female SEALs Demi Moore as Navy SEAL candidate Jordan O’Neil during amphibious training in the 1997 film G.I. Jane. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/when-the-military-doubts-our-elections 2026-06-23T15:49:07-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/What_Happens_if_the_Military_Starts_Doubting_Our_Elections_6f93fbc1-4a73-4b4d-9668-9ba9247473ed.jpg?v=1782244147 When the Military Doubts Our Elections Crowd of protesters gathered outside a large government building doorway during the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/afghanistan-war-ends-as-it-began 2026-06-23T16:12:06-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Afghanistan_War_Will_End_as_It_Began_-_In_Blood.jpg?v=1782245526 Afghanistan War Ends as It Began Armed Taliban fighters wearing desert camouflage uniforms and face coverings stand in a rural Afghan landscape with mountains in the background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/yes-they-defended-the-capitol 2026-06-23T16:22:15-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Yes_They_Defended_the_Capitol._But_Should_They_Be_Decorated.jpg?v=1782246135 Yes, They Defended the Capitol Stylized editorial graphic showing rows of uniformed U.S. military personnel on the left, a military service ribbon in the center, and a crowd gathered at the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 attack on the right. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/my-veteran-problem 2026-06-23T16:46:06-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/My_Veteran_Problem_dc0bae6b-9d1e-4d05-9076-480461fec44b.jpg?v=1782247566 My Veteran Problem Scene from the film Cherry showing a young military veteran portrayed by Tom Holland https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/why-the-capitol-riot-reminded-me-of-war 2026-06-25T16:29:15-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Why_the_Capitol_Riot_Reminded_Me_of_War.jpg?v=1782419355 Why the Capitol Riot Reminded Me of War Illustration combining a U.S. Army combat helmet with scenes from the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, showing rioters climbing the Capitol's west front above a crowd carrying American and Trump flags. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-afghan-war-is-over-did-anyone-notice 2026-06-25T16:39:43-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Afghan_War_Is_Over._Did_Anyone_Notice_21b93437-724c-4bc6-91fd-fcbfb808335b.jpg?v=1782419983 The Afghan War Is Over. Did Anyone Notice? U.S. Army soldiers prepare to board a military aircraft during a nighttime deployment from an airfield, illuminated by red aircraft lighting and floodlights. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/my-fellow-veterans-reminded-me-what-this-election-was-about 2026-06-25T16:49:38-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/My_Fellow_Veterans_Reminded_Me_What_This_Election_Was_About.jpg?v=1782420578 My Fellow Veterans Reminded Me What This Election Was About President Joe Biden addresses a large audience of U.S. Army soldiers gathered beneath a giant American flag during a military event, with service members standing behind the podium. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/can-we-escape-the-political-industrial-complex 2026-06-25T16:57:58-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Can_We_Escape_the_Political-Industrial_Complex.jpg?v=1782421078 Can We Escape the Political-Industrial Complex? Illustrated collage representing America's political-industrial complex, featuring a red MAGA hat, Democratic and Republican party symbols https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/confront-our-past-not-bury-it 2026-06-25T17:13:07-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/America_s_Military_Should_Confront_Its_Past_Not_Bury_It_7844ab9b-4741-4cd9-a17c-60c083ea01ef.jpg?v=1782421987 Confront Our Past, Not Bury It German Bundeswehr soldiers in dress uniform participate in a nighttime military ceremony, holding their helmets before their faces as ceremonial torches burn behind them. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-confederate-monuments-we-shouldnt 2026-06-25T17:22:29-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Confederate_Monuments_We_Shouldn_t_Tear_Down_ff655bde-23c1-4727-b0c7-dc8559f2f292.jpg?v=1782422549 The Confederate Monuments We Shouldn't Confederate grave markers in the Confederate section of Arlington National Cemetery, including a headstone labeled "Unknown Confederate Soldier," https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-police-will-be-part-of-the-solution-too 2026-06-25T17:30:32-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Police_Will_Be_Part_of_the_Solution_Too_5641f8e4-b2b0-4c02-97a1-02f828a63096.jpg?v=1782423032 The Police Will Be Part of the Solution, Too Police officers and tactical law enforcement personnel kneel together during a peaceful demonstration following the killing of George Floyd, symbolizing solidarity with protesters and calls for police reform and community trust. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/there-are-no-flag-draped-coffins 2026-06-25T17:38:25-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/There_Are_No_Flag-Draped_Coffins_48f88e92-5634-4947-9116-0f956b7da148.jpg?v=1782423505 There Are No Flag-Draped Coffins A large black-and-white portrait of a U.S. Army veteran is projected onto the exterior of a suburban home at night, while two family members stand illuminated in a bay window below. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/after-our-nation-grieves-it-can-grow 2026-06-25T17:46:50-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/After_Our_Nation_Grieves_It_Can_Grow_67085bb6-cb8b-48b2-8e53-49ed66c4d6c4.jpg?v=1782424010 After Our Nation Grieves, It Can Grow American flag flying at half-staff on a residential flagpole beneath a clear blue sky, symbolizing national mourning, remembrance, sacrifice, and collective grief during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/there-is-an-antidote-to-our-fear 2026-06-26T14:48:27-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/There_Is_an_Antidote_to_Our_Fear._It_s_Called_Leadership..jpg?v=1782499707 There Is an Antidote to Our Fear President Donald Trump stands at a White House podium during a COVID-19 press briefing, viewed from above in black and white, symbolizing presidential leadership, crisis communication, and the national response to the coronavirus pandemic. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-new-language-of-war 2026-06-26T14:56:42-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Next_President_Should_Speak_a_New_Language_of_War.jpg?v=1782500202 A New Language of War U.S. Marines sit closely together inside a dimly lit military vehicle during a nighttime operation, checking equipment and preparing for deployment. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/trump-betrays-an-ally-at-the-turkish-border 2026-06-26T15:04:58-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Trump_Betrays_an_Ally_at_the_Turkish_Border.jpg?v=1782500698 Trump Betrays an Ally at the Border A tracked military tank is loaded onto a heavy transport trailer during a nighttime operation as soldiers supervise the movement. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-battle-in-falluja-revisited 2026-06-26T15:18:20-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Battle_in_Falluja_Revisited_f152db6e-5323-46dd-b27a-6719109caba7.jpg?v=1782501500 A Battle in Falluja, Revisited U.S. Marines move through smoke and burning debris during intense urban combat in the Second Battle of Fallujah, Iraq, as an M1 Abrams tank advances behind them at dawn amid the chaos of Operation Phantom Fury. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/even-a-war-hero-is-not-above-the-law 2026-06-26T15:26:59-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Even_a_War_Hero_Is_Not_Above_the_Law_0906cdad-a873-4a32-a9d5-eb1f525e540e.jpg?v=1782502019 Even a War Hero Is Not Above the Law U.S. Army Special Forces officer Maj. Mathew Golsteyn, wearing Army combat uniform and military decorations, speaks with another soldier during a ceremony. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/arlingtons-sacred-ground 2026-06-26T15:38:27-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/It_s_Not_the_Ground_at_Arlington_Cemetery_That_s_Sacred.jpg?v=1782502707 Arlington’s Sacred Ground Rows of white headstones stretch across Arlington National Cemetery at dusk, symbolizing the sacrifice, remembrance, and enduring bonds among America's fallen service members. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/places-and-names-war-purpose-esquire 2026-09-19T22:06:02-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Esquire_Places_and_Names_-_War_Purpose_050431e8-7183-463a-80e0-a178a1a78616.jpg?v=1782504453 Places and Names: War & Purpose Marine Corps service members carry a wounded Marine in a soft stretcher during a combat casualty evacuation exercise, highlighting battlefield teamwork, combat medicine, and the realities of modern military operations. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/waiting-for-eden-the-end-of-eden-esquire 2026-09-19T22:06:02-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Esquire_Waiting_for_Eden_-_The_End_of_Eden_1ad9b26e-cc4f-4e84-9355-52174cf3a222.jpg?v=1782504338 Waiting for Eden: The End of Eden Cover page of Esquire Fiction featuring "The End of Eden," an excerpt from Elliot Ackerman's novel Waiting for Eden. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/screen-shot-marines-united-esquire 2026-06-26T16:17:10-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Esquire_Screen_Shot_50c34aa4-6868-42f9-abea-35a7521f03e3.jpg?v=1782505030 Screen Shot Illustrated opening spread of Elliot Ackerman's 2017 Esquire essay "Screen Shot," featuring the bold red title alongside artwork of a male and female U.S. Marine in dress blue uniforms. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/goodbye-my-brother-esquire 2026-06-26T16:30:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Esquire_Goodbye_My_Brother_9eabfc29-926b-465e-b9e7-f5e65b3c5272.jpg?v=1782505805 Goodbye, My Brother Elliot Ackerman stands atop the shattered ruins of the former Fallujah mayor's complex during his return to Iraq, surrounded by collapsed concrete and twisted rebar from the Second Battle of Fallujah. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/dark-at-the-crossing-esquire-interview 2026-09-19T22:06:02-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Esquire_Dark_at_the_Crossing_Interview_54ae1fb4-f509-49b3-9bff-b1182adc1f74.jpg?v=1782506441 Dark at the Crossing Interview Masked Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh) fighter operating a mounted heavy machine gun in Syria during the Syrian Civil War, silhouetted against a bright blue sky. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/no-mans-land-review 2026-06-26T21:31:17-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_West_Point_Literature_Professor_s_Inspiring_Plea_for_Creativity_in_Our_Military.jpg?v=1782523877 No Man's Land Review West Point cadets in full dress gray uniforms sit in formation during a United States Military Academy ceremony. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/isis-strategy-years-in-the-making 2026-06-26T21:42:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Islamic_State_s_Strategy_Was_Years_in_the_Making_9d09dac3-5cc2-46d8-a7c0-ac70798656e4.jpg?v=1782524532 ISIS Strategy Years in the Making Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State (ISIS), appears in a propaganda video seated outdoors wearing traditional clothing and a head covering, speaking to the camera with an ISIS flag partially visible beside him. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/bowe-bergdahl-haunted-us-all 2026-06-26T21:52:55-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/I_Was_a_Marine_in_Afghanistan_5758a49b-2470-471f-b4dd-54cabdf886cc.jpg?v=1782525175 Bowe Bergdahl Haunted Us All Official U.S. Army portrait of Bowe Bergdahl in camouflage uniform and maroon airborne beret, standing before an American flag prior to his disappearance and capture in Afghanistan. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/bravery-on-the-streets-of-fallujah 2026-06-27T15:05:42-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Extraordinary_Bravery_on_the_Streets_of_Fallujah_f9c4641a-431a-4a5e-9713-5113441926d2.jpg?v=1782587142 Bravery on the Streets of Fallujah Two U.S. Marines rush to aid a wounded Marine lying on the rain-soaked streets of Fallujah during the Second Battle of Fallujah in Iraq. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/was-fallujah-worth-it 2026-06-27T15:16:53-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/I_Fought_at_Fallujah._Here_s_What_I_Think_About_When_People_Ask_If_It_Was_Worth_It..jpg?v=1782587813 Was Fallujah Worth It? U.S. Marines stack outside a damaged building during urban combat in Fallujah, Iraq, preparing to move through the doorway while scanning for threats. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-biden-administrations-slow-yes-time 2026-06-27T15:30:21-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Biden_Administration_s_Slow_Yes_Has_Doomed_Ukraine_2aacc688-540b-4972-842d-6a7d59e6e708.jpg?v=1782588621 The Biden Administration's Slow Yes U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a bilateral meeting, with U.S. and Ukrainian officials seated at a conference table beneath the American and Ukrainian flags. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/more-weapons-faster-for-ukraine 2026-06-28T18:05:10-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ukraine_Can_Only_Win_if_the_U.S._Delivers_More_Weapons_Faster.jpg?v=1782684310 More Weapons, Faster for Ukraine Military personnel load palletized military aid onto a cargo aircraft, illustrating the large-scale logistics and international effort required to transport weapons, ammunition, and supplies to Ukraine during the ongoing war with Russia. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/ukraines-winter-offensive-could-decide-the-war 2026-06-28T18:14:55-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ukraine_s_Winter_Offensive_Could_Decide_the_War_e5b215f8-86ba-4a35-950e-ee81b0dbcf76.jpg?v=1782684895 Ukraine's Winter Offensive Could Decide the War Ukrainian soldiers move through a snow-covered forest during winter training or military operations, illustrating the harsh conditions of cold-weather warfare. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/ukrainians-dont-blame-just-putin 2026-06-28T18:26:30-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ukrainians_Don_t_Blame_Just_Putin_For_the_War._They_Blame_Russians._cb134d61-4106-415c-a2db-0c78e11fd14f.jpg?v=1782685590 Ukrainians Don't Blame Just Putin People walk through the devastated aftermath of a missile strike in a Ukrainian city, surveying smoking rubble and destroyed buildings. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/how-nato-pilots-could-help-defend-ukraine 2026-06-29T16:09:37-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/How_NATO_Pilots_Could_Help_Defend_Ukraine_c136517d-6919-441a-bbdf-6002b4943617.jpg?v=1782763777 NATO Pilots for Ukraine? A French Air and Space Force Dassault Rafale multirole fighter jet flies in clear skies carrying external fuel tanks and air-to-air missiles, illustrating modern NATO air power and advanced Western combat aviation. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/the-green-door-podcast 2026-09-20T16:00:33-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Green_Door_Podcast_Cover_Image_for_Website_cc7df801-ddb2-4477-96ed-b4e2f987abed.jpg?v=1784684271 The Green Door Podcast The Green Door Podcast promotional graphic featuring hosts Josh Bates and Renny McPherson alongside bestselling author, former Marine officer, and former CIA officer Elliot Ackerman. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/could-the-u-s-run-out-of-advanced-weapons 2026-09-19T22:06:02-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Contributor_Elliot_Ackerman_Could_the_U.S._run_out_of_advanced_weaponry_as_strikes_on_Iran_Continue_YT_Thumbnail_d80a8d37-7759-4ed4-86bf-c098429eeeff.jpg?v=1787021557 Could the U.S. Run Out of Advanced Weapons? Elliot Ackerman appears on the CBS News 24/7 set during a live discussion about the Iran conflict https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/trump-meets-with-nato-leaders 2026-09-19T22:06:03-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Trump_meeting_with_NATO_leaders_including_Erdogan_Zelenskyy_YT_Thumbnail_cb984142-103b-49c5-8c68-f7ecc0d9c096.jpg?v=1787021621 Trump Meets with NATO Leaders Split-screen from a CBS News 24/7 broadcast showing civilians gathered outside damaged apartment buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine, following a Russian attack, alongside CBS News contributor Elliot Ackerman. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/former-cia-officer-breaks-down-iran 2026-09-19T22:06:03-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Contributor_Segment-_Former_CIA_officer_breaks_down_the_latest_with_Iran_July_10_2026_YT_Thumbnail_8d762324-be06-4556-b3ea-43c0455bb23f.jpg?v=1787021591 Former CIA Officer Breaks Down Iran CBS News contributor Elliot Ackerman speaks with a CBS News anchor during a live studio interview about U.S.-Iran negotiations following attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-last-person-who-believes-in-intervention 2026-07-25T18:08:09-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Last_Person_Who_Believes_in_Western_Intervention_e46e4f99-8861-42ca-8e91-df3632fdfc7e.jpg?v=1785017289 The Last Person Who Believes in Intervention Afghan civilians carrying luggage and personal belongings line up on the tarmac to board a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft during the evacuation from Kabul, Afghanistan, in August 2021. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/july-2026-book-club-pick-alexander-the-great 2026-09-20T16:52:11-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/AlexandertheGreatbyRobinLaneFox_541cb693-5344-4977-9366-c6a900d0a8a3.jpg?v=1789780770 July 2026 Book Club Pick - Alexander the Great Book cover for Alexander the Great by Robin Lane Fox, featuring an armored Macedonian warrior riding a black horse beneath a cloudy sky. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/august-2026-book-club-pick-biological-war-a-scenario 2026-09-20T16:52:11-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Biological_War_by_Annie_Jacobsen_62ac4d18-bf10-41a0-b5bc-4b489caf45d2.jpg?v=1789780810 August 2026 Book Club Pick - Biological War: A Scenario https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/biological-war-scenarios-92ny 2026-09-20T16:00:33-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/annie-jacobsen-with-elliot-ackerman_Biological_War_e6e6d653-1fe8-452e-86f3-bd0097a58fcd.jpg?v=1789077632 Biological War Scenarios at 92NY Portraits of Annie Jacobsen and Elliot Ackerman displayed side by side, with the cover of Biological War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen centered between them. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/more-january-6ths-are-inevitable 2026-07-27T15:50:39-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/More_January_6ths_Are_Inevitable._How_We_React_Is_Crucial.jpg?v=1785181839 More January 6ths Are Inevitable Police in riot gear clash with demonstrators outside the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021 attack, as an American flag waves above the crowd amid shields, helmets, and pushing between law enforcement and protesters. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-botched-afghanistan-withdrawal 2026-07-27T16:02:32-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Botched_Afghanistan_Withdrawal_Exposes_a_Dangerous_Fault_Line_in_Our_Democracy_562a8017-1457-4958-9c84-6e49acd57080.jpg?v=1785182552 The Botched Afghanistan Withdrawal President Donald Trump walks with senior administration officials, military personnel, and Secret Service agents outside the White House following unrest in Washington, D.C., with the White House prominently visible in the background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/how-the-us-could-sleepwalk-into-war-with-china 2026-07-27T16:12:31-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/How_the_U.S._Could_Sleepwalk_into_a_War_with_China_d85e70c7-4be0-4a04-8781-c6a82911e030.jpg?v=1785183151 How the U.S. Could Sleepwalk into War Three U.S. Navy warships, including two aircraft carriers and an escort vessel, sail in formation across the open Pacific Ocean during a naval deployment, illustrating American maritime power and strategic operations in the Indo-Pacific region. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/american-exceptionalism-election-violence 2026-07-27T16:21:38-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/American_Exceptionalism_Makes_Us_Think_We_d_Never_Face_the_Violent_Unrest_of_Other_Countries._We_Shouldn_t_Feel_So_Confident..jpg?v=1785183698 American Exceptionalism and Unrest Workers board up the exterior of a downtown office building with plywood while a masked pedestrian walks past, illustrating preparations for potential civil unrest ahead of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/why-comparing-covid-19-to-war-is-dangerous 2026-07-27T16:33:38-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Why_Comparing_the_Fight_Against_COVID-19_to_War_Is_Ethically_Dangerous_d3195ac3-734e-49df-854e-c10008863f54.jpg?v=1785184418 COVID-19 Is Not a War A healthcare worker wearing a face shield, surgical mask, gloves, and improvised protective gown stands inside a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/imagining-lasting-peace-in-afghanistan 2026-07-27T16:41:00-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/We_ll_Need_Bold_Imaginations_to_Make_a_Lasting_Peace_in_Afghanistan_0d944b12-624b-422e-b4d3-fd5ab6f8d29d.jpg?v=1785184860 Imagining Peace in Afghanistan U.S. Marines carrying packs and equipment walk toward a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft on a runway in Afghanistan during military operations, with the desert landscape stretching into the distance. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/war-with-iran-will-continue 2026-07-27T16:48:28-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/After_Soleimani_Killing_War_With_Iran_Will_Likely_Continue_as_It_Has_for_Decades_d0a2c02a-9dfb-40cb-8368-ee972a5bc33b.jpg?v=1785185308 War With Iran Will Continue Crowds gather in Tehran to mourn Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, with mourners holding portraits of Soleimani and banners honoring him during a public funeral procession following his death. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/who-bears-the-blame-for-afghanistan 2026-07-27T16:55:57-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/All_Americans_Bear_the_Blame_for_the_Failed_Afghanistan_War_98a140fb-de72-42ec-95c5-d36e16322b74.jpg?v=1785185757 Who Bears the Blame for Afghanistan? U.S. Marines and an Army flight medic provide emergency medical care to a wounded Afghan civilian on a stretcher during combat operations in Afghanistan, highlighting the human cost of America's longest war. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/trumps-military-pardons 2026-07-27T17:09:20-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/President_Trump_s_Pardons_of_Soldiers_Shows_How_Little_He_Knows_About_War.jpg?v=1785186560 Trump's Military Pardons Navy SEAL Chief Edward Gallagher stands in dress white uniform alongside his wife after legal proceedings, wearing his military decorations and Trident insignia. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-generation-born-into-forever-war 2026-07-27T17:20:30-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_New_Generation_Enlists_for_a_War_Older_Than_They_Are_cea269f1-eae5-4fc2-ac0d-529f9b60c1c5.jpg?v=1785187230 A Generation Born Into Forever War Three alternate TIME magazine covers for the October 21/28, 2019 double issue, America’s Forever War, featuring young U.S. Marine recruits. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/bring-back-the-draft 2026-07-27T17:31:52-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Why_Bringing_Back_the_Draft_Could_Stop_America_s_Forever_Wars.jpg?v=1785187911 Bring Back the Draft U.S. service member sleeps on a field cot beneath a camouflage blanket inside a fortified combat outpost in Afghanistan. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-volunteer-who-entered-auschwitz 2026-07-27T17:40:54-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Remarkable_Story_of_the_Man_Who_Volunteered_to_Enter_Auschwitz_and_Try_to_Tell_the_World_About_It.jpg?v=1785188454 The Volunteer Who Entered Auschwitz Historic black-and-white photograph of the main entrance to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland during winter. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-fight-over-trumps-july-4-parade 2026-07-27T17:49:33-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Absurd_Fight_Over_President_Trump_s_July_4th_Salute_to_America_686d1b3d-47dc-4157-aa7d-83b87944b368.jpg?v=1785188973 The Fight Over Trump's July 4 Parade M1A1 Abrams tanks secured to railroad flatcars ahead of President Donald Trump's 2019 "Salute to America" Fourth of July celebration in Washington, D.C. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-turkish-film-about-fear-and-power 2026-07-27T17:57:41-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/What_a_Turkish_Film_Can_Teach_Us_About_American_Fear_8922b97f-ee46-44ee-bb97-e6ccc423a52d.jpg?v=1785189461 A Turkish Film About Fear and Power Turkish filmmaker Tolga Karaçelik on the red carpet at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, during the promotion of Karaçelik's award-winning film Sarmaşık (Ivy). https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/what-real-war-with-isis-would-mean 2026-07-27T18:05:36-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Iraq_Vet_What_Real_War_With_ISIS_Would_Mean.jpg?v=1785189936 What Real War With ISIS Would Mean Memorial honoring victims of the November 2015 Paris terrorist attacks, with candles, flowers, handwritten signs, and graffiti-covered walls. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/safety-is-relative 2026-07-27T18:20:30-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Ankara_Bombing_Is_a_Reminder_That_Safety_Is_Relative_1a121fbc-eee6-4fbc-8edd-ec22fcdaa9a1.jpg?v=1785190830 Safety Is Relative Large crowd of demonstrators marching through the streets of Ankara during a public protest, with participants carrying flags and banners and many raising peace signs. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/draft-the-rich 2026-08-17T22:35:49-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Draft_the_Rich_-_Elliot_Ackerman_a69cbfd7-e314-4825-b586-8fe6545a2c34.png?v=1787020549 Draft the Rich Illustration for Elliot Ackerman's essay Draft the Rich. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/what-our-generation-learned-in-iraq-and-afghanistan 2026-07-27T18:49:09-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/What_Did_Our_Generation_Learn_in_Iraq_and_Afghanistan.jpg?v=1785192549 What Our Generation Learned in War Silhouettes of two U.S. soldiers on patrol at sunset, with one service member standing in the foreground holding a rifle while another moves through the distance across an open landscape. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/tim-obrien-on-ken-burns-vietnam-war 2026-07-27T19:26:26-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Tim_O_Brien_on_What_We_All_Can_Learn_From_Ken_Burns_The_Vietnam_War.jpg?v=1785194786 Tim O'Brien on Ken Burns' Vietnam War Portrait of acclaimed American author and Vietnam War veteran Tim O'Brien wearing a dark baseball cap, set against the yellow field and three red stripes of the former South Vietnamese flag. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/forged-timeless-ways-of-living 2026-09-19T22:06:03-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Forged_Timeless_Ways_of_Living_Episode_14_Elliot_Ackerman_08e7dae6-bce3-4df3-acce-61d5f0130135.jpg?v=1787021164 Forged: Timeless Ways of Living Promotional artwork for Forged: Timeless Ways of Living Episode 14 featuring author and Marine veteran Elliot Ackerman. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/denis-johnson-epic-american-novel 2026-07-27T20:13:16-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/How_Denis_Johnson_Chased_the_Epic_American_Novel_9a8e44e0-2d00-45c6-b2ae-8ba10560fc9a.jpg?v=1785197596 How Denis Johnson Chased the Epic Novel Black-and-white portrait of acclaimed American novelist Denis Johnson against a vivid red background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/dark-at-the-crossing-excerpt 2026-07-27T20:23:19-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Beast_Fiction_Elliot_Ackerman_s_Dark_at_the_Crossing_15a44a3d-f90f-4b52-a614-c7c23896ed7f.jpg?v=1785198199 Dark at the Crossing Excerpt Stylized illustration featuring a red background with the white crescent and star of the Turkish flag overlaid by several unfinished tic-tac-toe boards. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/am-i-safe-in-turkey 2026-08-17T22:36:51-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Am_I_Safe_in_Turkey_6b32709c-1085-4965-93ec-f251ef6f3612.jpg?v=1787020611 Am I Safe in Turkey? Grieving family members gather around a coffin draped with a green, yellow, and red cloth during a funeral procession following the 2015 Ankara bombing in Turkey. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/how-the-longest-war-ate-its-children 2026-07-27T20:48:02-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Beast_Fiction_How_the_Longest_War_Ate_Its_Children_008ad630-2c9a-4cac-85b5-6b3f2f23ccd8.jpg?v=1785199682 How the Longest War Ate Its Children Silhouette of an armed Afghan fighter standing atop a rocky ridgeline at dusk beneath a bright moon, holding an RPG launcher against a deep blue twilight sky. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/i-shot-bin-laden 2026-07-27T21:01:58-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/I_Shot_Bin_Laden_c0acca3b-68bc-499a-a0e4-be70def34c2b.jpg?v=1785200518 I Shot Bin Laden Pop art-style four-panel collage of Osama bin Laden in red, yellow, green, and purple color palettes, evoking Andy Warhol-inspired artwork. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/watching-isis-come-to-power-again 2026-07-27T21:11:42-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Watching_ISIS_Come_to_Power_Again_0a75d4bb-b2e9-4280-8291-65e1ee0db9e9.jpg?v=1785201101 Watching ISIS Come to Power Again A man rides on the back of a motorcycle waving a black ISIS flag through a street in northern Syria as bystanders watch. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/airstrikes-and-the-fight-against-isis 2026-09-19T22:06:03-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Airstrikes_and_the_U.S._Strategy_to_Combat_ISIS_YT_Thumbnail_79661e64-d614-4297-87be-bf4eec2949ed.jpg?v=1785272510 Airstrikes and the Fight Against ISIS CNN Newsroom broadcast showing footage of militants firing artillery in Iraq while an on-screen graphic identifies Elliot Ackerman as a former U.S. Marine speaking by phone. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/four-hundred-grand 2026-07-28T17:11:10-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Short_Stories_from_The_Daily_Beast_Four_Hundred_Grand.jpg?v=1785273070 Four Hundred Grand Illustrated promotional graphic for The Daily Beast's Beast Fiction series featuring a U.S. one-dollar bill split into three vertical sections against a bright yellow background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/apathetic-teenagers-and-the-apocalypse 2026-07-28T17:18:45-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/In_a_New_Novel_Apathetic_Teenagers_Usher_in_the_Apocalypse.jpg?v=1785273525 Apathetic Teenagers and the Apocalypse A teenage boy wearing an orange T-shirt, jeans, and a gray baseball cap sits alone on a skateboard in an empty suburban parking lot, viewed from behind. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/war-nostalgia-and-the-road-back 2026-07-28T17:26:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/War_Nostalgia_Is_Leading_Veterans_to_Places_Like_Syria._One_Went_Missing_There..jpg?v=1785273972 War Nostalgia and the Road Back Close-up portrait of American journalist and former Marine Austin Tice wearing a dark jacket and patterned scarf while seated indoors. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/a-man-to-believe-in 2026-08-17T22:37:14-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/A_Man_to_Believe_in_-_MSgt_Aaron_Torian_ccdb7747-dd6e-4af7-ac54-415ca565c354.jpg?v=1787020634 A Man to Believe In MSgt Aaron Torian stands smiling at night wearing a tactical field vest and a patterned scarf while holding a red beverage can. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/can-joyce-carol-oates-write-a-war-novel 2026-07-28T17:52:51-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Can_Joyce_Carol_Oates_Write_a_War_Novel_6d3ab53e-bba3-4812-aa47-ecb473ced974.jpg?v=1785275571 Can Joyce Carol Oates Write a War Novel? Portrait of acclaimed American novelist Joyce Carol Oates wearing round glasses, pearl earrings, and a turquoise blouse, speaking during an interview against a softly blurred blue background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/the-fourth-war-my-lunch-with-a-jihadi 2026-07-28T18:00:39-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Fourth_War_My_Lunch_with_a_Jihadi.jpg?v=1785276039 The Fourth War: My Lunch with a Jihadi Armed Syrian opposition fighters gather inside a storefront in northern Syria, seated together with AK-pattern rifles while drinking tea and smoking cigarettes. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/greg-baxter-the-apartment-review 2026-07-28T18:08:26-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/On_the_Hunt_For_Greg_Baxter_s_The_Apartment_Review_c6ebc1a7-a425-49d8-ade6-2fa8db9ce69f.jpg?v=1785276506 Greg Baxter's The Apartment Review Aerial view of a snow-covered European town at dusk, with rows of terraced houses, winding streets, and warm streetlights glowing against the cold blue landscape. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/finding-friendship-after-war 2026-09-19T22:06:03-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Finding_friendship_in_the_wreckage_of_war_and_revolution_YT_Thumbnail.jpg?v=1785371766 Finding Friendship After War Elliot Ackerman sits on stage during a PBS NewsHour essay with a large image of Arab Spring protesters projected behind him, reflecting on war, revolution, and friendship in Syria and the broader Middle East. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/humanizing-the-syrian-conflict 2026-09-19T22:06:03-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/PBS_NewsHour_Author_Elliot_Ackerman_talks_new_novel_humanizing_characters_YT_Thumbnail_270b7e71-f612-4cc0-a955-56530465d94d.jpg?v=1785373427 Humanizing the Syrian Conflict Elliot Ackerman speaks with PBS NewsHour correspondent Jeffrey Brown about his novel Dark at the Crossing, with the book cover displayed behind them during a discussion of the Syrian civil war, refugees, and the power of fiction to humanize conflict. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/intense-urban-combat-in-fallujah 2026-09-19T22:06:03-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/American_Veterans_Center_Fallujah_Interview_YT_Thumbnail_a59e0eb6-2da3-4e26-9b9c-4b835aa089ff.jpg?v=1785377839 Intense Urban Combat in Fallujah Thumbnail for an American Veterans Center interview featuring Elliot Ackerman discussing the Second Battle of Fallujah, with a portrait of Ackerman beside an image of a U.S. Marine aiming an M16 rifle during urban combat in Iraq. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/iran-war-strategy-cbs-news 2026-09-19T22:06:03-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Contributor_Segment_-_Netanyahu_says_he_defers_to_Trump_on_Iran_war_expansion_but_differences_may_remain_YT_Thumbnail_9cfe95cf-6f31-411e-a279-826673e6d2fe.jpg?v=1785523344 Iran War Strategy on CBS News Elliot Ackerman appears on the CBS News 24/7 set discussing the expanding conflict involving Iran and the United States. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/iran-winning-the-political-fight 2026-09-19T22:06:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Contributor_Segment_-_U.S._and_Iran_pause_fighting_after_2_days_of_intense_strikes_YT_Thumbnail.jpg?v=1785699323 Iran: Winning the Political Fight Elliot Ackerman appears on CBS News 24/7 discussing the conflict between the United States and Iran during an interview with Major Garrett. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/israel-palestine-measuring-human-life 2026-09-19T22:06:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/92NY_Lawrence_Wright_with_Elliot_Ackerman_dc2aa4ca-3ca1-4321-b606-d4b0ccab8e19.jpg?v=1785796844 Israel-Palestine: Measuring Human Life Lawrence Wright and Elliot Ackerman in conversation at 92NY in New York, discussing Wright's novel The Human Scale. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/iran-attack-could-change-the-war 2026-09-19T22:06:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Contributor_Segment_-_Details_on_Trumps_secret_Air_Force_One_swap_over_Iranian_threat_YT_Thumbnail_56e8451c-a925-430a-8c15-71f36507e109.jpg?v=1786649853 Iran: An Attack Could Change the War Elliot Ackerman discusses an Iranian threat to President Trump alongside footage of Air Force One in Ankara, Turkey, during a CBS News segment. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/iran-weaponizing-strait-of-hormuz 2026-09-19T22:06:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Contributor_Segment_-_How_have_the_goals_of_the_Iran_war_evolved_Thumbnail.jpg?v=1786653051 Iran: Weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz Elliot Ackerman discusses the evolving U.S.-Iran war and Strait of Hormuz on CBS News, alongside footage of an anti-American billboard in Tehran. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/cynical-coverage-uss-abraham-lincoln 2026-08-17T15:29:42-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Cynical_Coverage_of_Conditions_on_the_USS_Abraham_Lincoln_3ec74402-b958-4af3-88ed-34bc360660b6.jpg?v=1786994982 The Cynical Coverage of the USS Lincoln Navy sailors handle ordnance on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln during Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/uss-abraham-lincoln-iran-war-bbc 2026-09-19T22:06:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/BBC_News_Veterans_convo_Aug_19_2026_Thumbnail.png?v=1787256873 USS Abraham Lincoln and the Iran War USS Abraham Lincoln at sea with audio waveform graphic for Elliot Ackerman’s BBC World Service interview on the Iran war. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/iran-sanctions-stars-and-stripes-takeout 2026-09-19T22:06:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Takeout_with_Major_Garrett_8-21-26_thumbnail_b4e913bf-165b-4c39-8c2c-1eefb65e4a76.png?v=1787511851 Iran, Sanctions, and Stars and Stripes Elliot Ackerman featured on The Takeout with Major Garrett discussing Iran, sanctions, and military affairs, with naval imagery and an audio waveform. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/uss-lincoln-politics-of-war-tom-azelby 2026-09-19T22:06:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Talk_Radio_1210_WPHT_1210WPHT_YT_Thumbnail_f52c08de-e471-474b-a958-91c1628a77b2.jpg?v=1787452145 USS Lincoln and the Politics of War Tom Azelby and Elliot Ackerman featured in a 1210 WPHT interview graphic about the USS Abraham Lincoln, media coverage, and the politics of war. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/elliot-ackerman-guest-hosts-dedicated 2026-09-19T22:06:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Doug_Brunt_Podcast_-_THE_LOST_EMPIRE_OF_EMANUEL_NOBEL.png?v=1787517893 Elliot Ackerman Guest-Hosts Dedicated Elliot Ackerman guest-hosts Dedicated with Doug Brunt for a conversation about The Lost Empire of Emanuel Nobel, Russia, revolution, oil, and the craft of writing history. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/danger-posed-by-todays-angry-vets 2026-08-24T16:10:35-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/unnamed_698c9865-41ca-47aa-bca6-161595e48c87.jpg?v=1787602235 The Danger Posed by Today's Angry Vets Illustration of a soldier in camouflage seen from behind, arms wreathed in flame, standing in a grayscale city street facing an American flag. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/happily-paying-a-mouses-ransom 2026-08-24T16:33:32-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/unnamed.jpg?v=1787603612 Happily Paying a Mouse's Ransom Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, seen from a crowded Main Street U.S.A. beneath a partly cloudy sky. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/drone-swarms-military-power 2026-08-24T16:42:15-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/unnamed_49618dca-8962-4757-bce0-8d4276539b2c.jpg?v=1787604135 How Drone Swarms Will Change Military Power Illustration of a swarm of military drones attacking an aircraft carrier at sea, with an explosion on its flight deck. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/elliot-ackerman-marine-to-novelist 2026-09-19T22:06:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/unnamed_f31e1de7-a883-424a-bfb7-50a54c0f6450.jpg?v=1787604582 From Marine to Bestselling Novelist Portrait of author Elliot Ackerman seated in a chaise in a well-appointed living room. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/2034-review-navigating-a-disaster 2026-09-19T22:06:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/unnamed_c102e1e3-165d-4485-8d98-c15ea6814973.jpg?v=1787604960 '2034' Review: Navigating a Disaster Aerial photo of a U.S. Navy carrier strike group sailing in formation at sea. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/dads-maybe-book-review-veteran-of-life 2026-08-24T17:00:23-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/ED-AZ061_bkrvob_JV_20191014132937_b591bfb3-f050-445e-98de-dd8ba4e64a2c.jpg?v=1787605223 'Dad's Maybe Book' Review: A Veteran of Life Hardcover of 'Dad's Maybe Book' by Tim O'Brien, with a denim-blue cover and a taped snapshot photo. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/marine-novelist-takes-on-the-syrian-war 2026-09-19T22:06:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/BN-RS118_BKRVSY_GR_20170119153614.jpg?v=1787605766 A Marine-Novelist Takes on the Syrian War Turkish soldiers stand watch over a desert border checkpoint, with vehicles and smoke visible in the distance. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/elliot-ackerman-close-to-the-enemy 2026-09-19T22:06:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Elliot_Ackerman_WSJ_2017.jpg?v=1787606388 A Novelist Gets Close to the Enemy Elliot Ackerman in Rome March 2017 https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/fiction-chronicle-the-soldiers-story 2026-09-19T22:06:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/RV-AP586_BKRVfi_G_20150212161930_b2521c69-dd24-449f-a579-2d080cada60e.jpg?v=1787607179 Fiction Chronicle: The Soldier's Story Afghan National Army soldiers in maroon berets stand in formation with mountains in the background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/sheepdogs-review-comedy-of-errors 2026-09-19T22:06:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/im-08618185_4e496b2f-5fd1-49c1-a49a-df9d39fd521b.jpg?v=1787608865 'Sheepdogs' Review: A Comedy of Errors Cover of 'Sheepdogs' by Elliot Ackerman, shown as a standing hardcover. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/erdogan-strikes-turkeys-last-opposition 2026-08-24T18:12:13-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-ErdoganStrikesTurkeysLastOpposition_5d25cbe6-0e79-4752-a816-53639f63fbf3.jpg?v=1787609533 Erdoğan Strikes Turkey's Last Opposition Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stands before a crowd with Turkish flags at a state ceremony. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/what-to-make-of-military-endorsements 2026-08-24T18:18:17-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-What-to-Make-of-Military-Endorsements_965b9a1f-6eda-4e9e-b7f6-f3ad96a69d52.jpg?v=1787609897 What to Make of Military Endorsements Black-and-white photo of a speaker at a podium surrounded by "Hillary" signs at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/ataturk-versus-erdogan-turkeys-long-struggle 2026-08-24T18:20:57-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-Turkey.jpg?v=1787610057 Atatürk vs. Erdoğan: Turkey's Long Struggle President Erdoğan speaks at a podium beneath a large portrait of Atatürk in military uniform. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/arrivals-hall-ataturk-airport 2026-08-24T18:25:41-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-Arrivals-Ataturk-Airport.jpg?v=1787610341 The Arrivals Hall at Atatürk Airport A Turkish police officer stands guard behind police tape at Atatürk Airport's damaged terminal. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/why-trump-was-wrong-about-the-troops 2026-08-24T18:28:55-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-Trump3_5b740f10-ae90-4a11-95e8-92ae17051522.jpg?v=1787610535 Why Trump Was Wrong About the Troops Donald Trump speaks at a podium during a 2016 campaign rally. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/erdogans-isis-opportunism 2026-08-24T18:35:36-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-Istanbul-Attack-2_4f6f7725-8848-45cf-a606-592305cb7531.jpg?v=1787610936 Erdoğan's ISIS Opportunism The U.S. Consulate General building in Istanbul, a fortress-like structure with an American flag, overlooking the city. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/story-of-the-story-at-tal-abyad 2026-08-24T18:40:02-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-Story-of-the-Story-at-Tal-Abyad.jpg?v=1787611202 The Story of the Story at Tal Abyad News vans and camera crews gather at the Turkish-Syrian border near Tal Abyad. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/justice-in-and-out-of-uniform 2026-08-24T18:43:47-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-David-Petraeus_6e8d5d99-d7a9-42cb-ac34-52fd4d85554b.jpg?v=1787611427 Justice, In and Out of Uniform David Petraeus stands before a bank of press microphones outside a Charlotte courthouse. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/true-story-of-the-syrian-civil-war 2026-08-24T18:49:02-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-True-Syrian-Civil-War-Story.jpg?v=1787611742 A True Story of the Syrian Civil War Poster for the documentary 'The Cow Farm' by Ali Sheikh Khudr, showing a man watching a helicopter overhead. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/us-friendship-with-the-kurds 2026-08-24T18:53:17-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-Kurds-US.jpg?v=1787611997 The U.S. Friendship with the Kurds The Kurdish flag flies before the Citadel of Erbil, with men on horseback in traditional dress. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/assassination-and-the-american-language 2026-08-24T18:57:17-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-Assasination-American-Language.jpg?v=1787612237 Assassination and the American Language Local residents examine the wreckage of a mud-brick structure in a drone strike's aftermath. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/eight-men-one-gun-iraqi-front 2026-08-24T19:01:02-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-Peshmerga-Makmour_de4b9579-be9f-4c63-af57-214f1756572e.jpg?v=1787612462 Eight Men, and One Gun, on the Iraqi Front A PKM machine gun mounted on sandbags at a peshmerga front-line position, overlooking the desert toward ISIS positions. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/pictures-from-my-war 2026-08-24T19:05:24-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Ackerman-Iraq-1_cfb29a59-db08-4711-aae5-318b918c08d6.jpg?v=1787612724 Pictures from My War Elliot Ackerman and Douglas Zembiec in Marine dress blues aboard the USS Constitution, 2003. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/waiting-out-the-afghan-war 2026-08-24T19:08:18-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/General-Harold-Greene-Death.jpg?v=1787612898 Waiting Out the Afghan War Afghan National Army soldiers stand near a checkpoint fence at dusk. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/black-flag-and-a-rainbow-flag 2026-08-24T19:13:29-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Turkey-pride_a3966473-6244-4dfd-80ce-283257b54b09.jpg?v=1787613209 A Black Flag and a Rainbow Flag A crowd at Istanbul's pride march holds up a large rainbow flag and protest signs. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/watching-isis-flourish-where-we-once-fought 2026-08-24T19:15:53-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/AP354359782995-580_5a3cc128-68ab-4ecf-a823-77ccab464d51.jpg?v=1787613353 Watching ISIS Flourish Where We Once Fought ISIS militants walk armed through a burning street beside a destroyed vehicle. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/wounds-caused-by-friendly-fire 2026-08-24T19:19:50-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/friendly-fire-ackerman_9cd867e0-c23a-47b9-b094-f2e8f07918e9.jpg?v=1787613590 The Wounds Caused by Friendly Fire Silhouette of a soldier holding a rifle, backlit against a bright sky. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/what-it-means-when-mercenaries-appear 2026-08-28T17:13:52-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/C2VSGPTTVJC6XL4PU5BV2645QI_6f8c3226-f740-484b-95a8-3d58b94dfc75.jpg?v=1787951632 What It Means When the Mercenaries Appear Illustration of a faceless soldier in a camouflage pattern made of dollar bills, standing before a burning city skyline. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/memorial-to-the-war-on-terror 2026-08-28T17:17:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/EC5EMQVWAEI6RJ5VVWVKLMVFP4_b7de9255-f3bc-4534-9a30-c85a5565727e.jpg?v=1787951824 A Memorial to the War on Terror A soldier walks alone through a smoke-filled desert landscape. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/secret-gate-review-kabuls-moral-maze 2026-08-28T17:18:49-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/WHUSDMG32LODWBTM2FHZT2LNBY.jpg?v=1787951929 'The Secret Gate' Review: Kabul's Moral Maze Crowds of Afghans gather near a U.S. Air Force C-17 at Kabul's airport during the 2021 evacuation. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/vonnegut-ptsd-slaughterhouse-five 2026-08-28T17:28:31-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/FKGBS5DM3YI6ZJOSO4JBMMTC6A_e96d4258-b06e-49c5-b05e-54ed096623ad.jpg?v=1787952510 Vonnegut, PTSD, and 'Slaughterhouse-Five' A dramatic black-and-white close-up portrait of a man's face partially obscured by his hand, holding a cigarette. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/we-abandoned-afghans-on-the-battlefield 2026-08-28T17:40:10-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/wapo_image5_resized_3aa87db9-67e4-491b-ba8d-21fb467e4202.jpg?v=1787953210 We Abandoned Afghans on the Battlefield An Afghan National Army commando kneels with a rifle raised during a training exercise, with soldiers patrolling in the background. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/next-world-war-wont-look-like-the-last 2026-08-28T17:47:01-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/NTSEHDECDII6XPRCGLJTDWDVGA.jpg?v=1787953621 The Next World War Won't Look Like the Last View from the deck of a U.S. Navy destroyer bow at sea under overcast skies. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/missions-and-mythmaking-from-a-navy-seal 2026-08-28T17:53:23-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/GK7UYBQVGMI6VAGW2DFHABZHH4.jpg?v=1787954003 Missions and Mythmaking From a Navy SEAL Two special operations soldiers seen through green night-vision optics, wearing helmets and combat gear. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/what-we-owe-afghanistan 2026-08-28T17:59:04-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/wapo_afghanistan_owe_resized_baf67bff-354f-4352-849c-5521d03d6fab.jpg?v=1787954344 What We Owe Afghanistan A U.S. Army advisor shakes hands with an Afghan military officer as other soldiers look on at a base in Afghanistan. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/delusions-of-a-soldier-and-an-army 2026-08-28T18:03:26-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/BXXME4C2CMI6TIAOAUG4POBGSM.jpg?v=1787954606 Delusions of a Soldier, and an Army Book cover of 'American Cipher: Bowe Bergdahl and the U.S. Tragedy in Afghanistan' by Matt Farwell and Michael Ames, showing a soldier walking alone through a dusty haze. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/troops-coming-home-rarely-means-victory 2026-08-28T18:06:34-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/UQEKKMQJ24I6TCKCB32EFZMQSQ.jpg?v=1787954794 Troops Coming Home Rarely Means Victory President Trump, wearing a bomber jacket, gestures while greeting U.S. troops alongside first lady Melania Trump at al-Asad Air Base in Iraq. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/two-unfinished-wars-thrill-and-horror 2026-08-28T18:09:59-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/TQY4X7VQLEI6RIQLL5HYIQUWMY.jpg?v=1787954999 Two Unfinished Wars, Thrill and Horror Book cover of 'The Fighters: Americans in Combat in Afghanistan and Iraq' by C.J. Chivers, showing a soldier crossing a rocky river in a mountainous valley. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/natos-flaws-wont-yield-to-bullying 2026-08-28T18:15:46-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/wapo_nato_image_41f1af94-5663-43d1-9c85-62e9cf498ae1.jpg?v=1787955346 NATO's Flaws Won't Yield to Bullying A lone soldier carrying a rifle stands silhouetted against a vast, hazy Afghan desert landscape at dusk. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/september-2026-book-club-catch-22 2026-09-20T16:52:11-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Catch22byJosephHeller_8c1d2ec8-b3b2-428b-8f19-f4b3e5cbbd0a.jpg?v=1789780855 September 2026 Book Club Pick - Catch-22 Cover of Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, Elliot Ackerman’s September 2026 Book Club selection, featuring the classic red, white, and blue illustrated design. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/catherine-grace-katz-elliot-ackerman 2026-10-01T22:32:58-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/catherine_katz_elliot_ackerman_bn_event_b33e786d-412a-4149-bfff-93e4d7339c94.png?v=1790908378 Catherine Grace Katz with Elliot Ackerman Catherine Grace Katz and Elliot Ackerman with the cover of Shadow Before the Flame for their September 24, 2026 Barnes & Noble Upper West Side event in New York City. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/25-years-after-9-11-manhattan-institute 2026-09-19T22:06:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/manhattan_institute_9_11_event_e35274ec-2cf0-482e-9e6c-a1efe0c66547.png?v=1789063389 Patriotism, Pluralism, Postnationalism Elliot Ackerman featured at the Manhattan Institute’s “25 Years After 9/11: A Forum on Security, Memory, and the American Future” in Manhattan on September 8, 2026. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/events/elliot-ackerman-charleston-literary-festival-2026 2026-09-11T17:47:02-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Charleston_Literary_Festival_2026_287fd2ad-d406-4331-9997-246cf0043b37.jpg?v=1789163222 Elliot Ackerman at Charleston Literary Festival Elliot Ackerman at the 2026 Charleston Literary Festival, held November 6–15 at the historic Dock Street Theatre in Charleston, South Carolina. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/iran-hormuz-us-military-strategy 2026-09-19T22:06:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Contributor_Segment_-_Marine_veteran_weighs_in_on_Trumps_military_strategy_against_Iran_Sep_1_2026_YT_Thumbnail.jpg?v=1788456864 Iran, Hormuz, and U.S. Military Strategy CBS News contributor Elliot Ackerman discusses U.S. military strategy against Iran and new strikes related to sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz on September 1, 2026. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/dan-driscoll-resignation-pentagon-leadership 2026-09-19T22:06:05-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Takeout_with_Major_Garrett_Sep_1_2026_Thumbnail.jpg?v=1788477189 Why Did Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Resign? CBS News contributor Elliot Ackerman joins The Takeout to discuss Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s resignation, Pentagon leadership, and tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/when-military-leadership-is-in-flux 2026-09-19T22:06:06-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_Contributor_Segment_-_Vance_says_I_wouldnt_call_it_a_war_when_asked_about_Iran_Sep_3_2026_YT_Thumbnail-2_1a8a9cdc-d17d-447c-acc4-b65f98b4b636.jpg?v=1788728834 When Military Leadership Is in Flux JD Vance speaking at a White House press briefing during CBS News coverage of the U.S.-Iran conflict. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/heroes-still-walk-among-us 2026-09-11T17:57:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Heroes_Still_Walk_Among_Us_cc1bd21a-efc3-408c-b5c5-a43633d8cdde.jpg?v=1789163832 Heroes Still Walk Among Us Actors Damian Lewis and Ron Livingston as World War II paratroopers in HBO’s Band of Brothers, seated together in a black-and-white scene. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/afghanistan-withdrawal-five-years-later 2026-09-19T22:06:06-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Council_on_Foreign_Relations_Five_Years_after_the_Withdrawal_from_Afghanistan_Main_Image_5fe5ef41-86fe-44c5-86b7-41adc40bf45a.png?v=1789583599 Afghanistan Withdrawal: Five Years Later Council on Foreign Relations event graphic for “The U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan: Five Years Later,” featuring the Afghan flag and a mountainous Afghanistan landscape. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/ukraine-russia-target-energy-infrastructure 2026-09-19T22:06:06-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_News_Contributor_Segment_-_Ukraine_and_Russia_target_energy_infrastructure_in_strikes_despite_Trump_Sep_15_2026.jpg?v=1789500842 Ukraine and Russia Target Energy Infrastructure CBS News contributor Elliot Ackerman discusses the Russia-Ukraine war as footage shows Ukrainian soldiers near the front lines in Druzhkivka, Ukraine, during a September 15, 2026 CBS Mornings segment. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/turning-point-ukraine-russia-war 2026-09-16T14:03:49-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/I_Thought_Ukraine_Was_Losing._Then_I_Was_Almost_Hit_by_a_Russian_Drone._bf9802ab-4ac4-4c4e-94d9-fb29ad4e6cb4.jpg?v=1789581829 A Turning Point in Ukraine? Damaged gas station interior in Yahodyn, Ukraine, after a Russian drone strike, showing shattered windows, debris, overturned furniture, and damaged displays. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/october-2026-book-club-shadow-before-the-flame 2026-09-30T18:25:06-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Shadow_Before_the_Flame_-_The_Hindenburg_Disaster_and_the_Prelude_to_War_3c5d43fc-f784-4922-a53c-5fe48fff0ec8.jpg?v=1790807106 October 2026 Book Club Pick - Shadow Before the Flame https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/the-human-scale-book-club-reading-guide 2026-09-20T16:52:11-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Human_Scale_-_Lawrence_Wright_025de401-525b-44e2-a0c3-f1b565e685e0.jpg?v=1789779374 Book Club Reading Guide - The Human Scale https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-gates-of-fire 2026-09-20T16:52:11-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Gates_of_Fire_-_Cover_a2d0a4c6-8526-4628-8f86-d83542bccf6c.jpg?v=1789779311 Book Club Reading Guide - Gates of Fire https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-true-grit 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/True_Grit_-_Cover_fce649d5-f357-4446-b7c4-e681d8311e22.jpg?v=1789779347 Book Club Reading Guide - True Grit https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-the-old-man-and-the-sea 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Old_Man_and_the_Sea_-_Cover_af80a545-450f-419e-a475-de54a5be49e3.jpg?v=1789780079 Book Club Reading Guide - The Old Man and the Sea https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-fields-of-fire 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Fields_of_Fire_-_Cover_452c30fa-d376-4979-a460-37579a93c9ea.jpg?v=1789780145 Book Club Reading Guide - Fields of Fire https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-the-winds-of-war 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Winds_of_War_-_Cover_bd525c02-61ce-499b-a000-21d8d5bc8941.jpg?v=1789780557 Book Club Reading Guide - The Winds of War https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-dads-maybe-book 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Dad_s_Maybe_Book_-_Cover_a8a280df-4618-4b63-b25c-a6a54712466b.jpg?v=1789780211 Book Club Reading Guide - Dad’s Maybe Book https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-fobbit 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Fobbit_-_Cover_94235852-7295-4bf4-bfdf-c97933526595.jpg?v=1789780601 Book Club Reading Guide - Fobbit https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-for-whom-the-bell-tolls 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/For_Whom_the_Bell_Tolls_-_Cover_e4ef7fe6-7e09-4f72-9041-280fca904b75.jpg?v=1789780637 Book Club Reading Guide - For Whom the Bell Tolls https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-matterhorn 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Matterhorn_-_Cover_6e932206-ad4b-4dfa-bb4b-bb1204bdf41c.jpg?v=1789780682 Book Club Reading Guide - Matterhorn https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-the-things-they-carried 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Things_They_Carried_-_Cover_ac965b35-ddaa-4808-94e7-5ef2ae2f93d3.jpg?v=1789780516 Book Club Reading Guide - The Things They Carried https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-starship-troopers 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Starship_Troopers_-_Cover_e79e51d7-2715-42c2-8f3f-9f77c66fe80e.jpg?v=1789780252 Book Club Reading Guide - Starship Troopers https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-storm-of-steel 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Storm_of_Steel_-_Cover_1f6d675b-97b0-409a-9b90-a36e424066aa.jpg?v=1789780298 Book Club Reading Guide - Storm of Steel https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-the-baghdad-shuffle 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Baghdad_Shuffle_-_Cover_6b4b6cad-a380-4bd8-8b58-22cc42d05044.jpg?v=1789780338 Book Club Reading Guide - The Baghdad Shuffle https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/book-club/book-club-reading-guide-slow-horses 2026-09-20T16:52:12-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/Slow_Horses_-_Cover_40d39ee8-883a-4a9d-aa14-960c779c734c.jpg?v=1789780379 Book Club Reading Guide - Slow Horses https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/when-does-airstrike-become-war-crime 2026-09-19T22:06:06-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/CBS_News_Contributor_Segment_-_U.N._panel_says_reasonable_grounds_to_believe_U.S._committed_war_Sep_17_2026_YT_Thumbnail_be84a59e-7f75-4d67-918e-b49c81ccdf45.jpg?v=1789763791 When Does an Airstrike Become a War Crime? CBS News image showing destruction in Iran following U.S. airstrikes, during coverage of a U.N. panel's findings on potential war crimes. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/how-war-reporting-changed-after-9-11 2026-09-19T22:06:06-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/New_America_Lessons_From_25_Years_of_Reporting_o_nthe_Post-9-11_Wars.png?v=1789770844 How War Reporting Changed After 9/11 Future Security Forum 2026 graphic featuring a soldier overlooking a mountainous landscape, with the title “What Are the Lessons from 25 Years of Reporting on the Post-9/11 Wars?” and New America branding. https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/essays/america-will-regret-withdrawing-from-iraq 2026-10-01T22:03:29-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Free_Press_America_Will_Regret_Withdrawing_from_Iraq.jpg?v=1790906609 America Will Regret Withdrawing from Iraq A U.S. Marine gestures as a chain pulls Saddam Hussein’s statue from its pedestal in Baghdad https://elliotackerman.com/blogs/news/the-fifth-act-sewanee-review-podcast 2026-10-01T22:32:22-04:00 weekly https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0717/9200/1186/articles/The_Sewanee_Review_Elliot_Ackerman_Sep_29_2026.png?v=1790908342 The Fifth Act on The Sewanee Review Elliot Ackerman’s Sewanee Review podcast graphic over the wood-paneled William Ralston Music Listening Library