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The Operative (A Ryan Kealey Thriller #5)
by Andrew BrittonAfter more than a decade on the deadly front lines of the war on terror, Ryan Kealey believes he's finally put danger behind him--and some of his demons to rest. But his calm is shattered when he's swept into a merciless terror attack during a charity gala in downtown Baltimore. Among the dozens of casualties is the wife of CIA Deputy Director John Harper. With normal channels of investigation obstructed, Harper turns to Kealey, the one man with the resources, expertise--and freedom from government interference--to pursue the awful truth.Following a string of secrets and violence, Kealey blazes a trail from the confines of the innermost chambers of government and big business to the dimmest reaches of the human psyche, forced to match wits with a new nemesis aided by new allies, each with a unique agenda. Slowly, Kealey unspools an unimaginable conspiracy that suggests America may in fact be its own worst enemy. "[Britton] may well give Tom Clancy a run for the money." -St. Louis Post-Dispatch "No-holds-barred action and gripping suspense." --Library Journal on The Exile"The 'best' of Tom Clancy, Michael Connelly, and Robert Ludlum all rolled into a single book." --armchairinterviews.com on The Assassin"Brilliantly well-written with plotting sharper than a fence full of razor wire, a sizzling page-turner." --Brad Thor, New York Times bestselling author on The American
Operative 66: Agent. Assassin. Traitor? (Alex Reeve)
by Andy McDermottEVERY OPERATIVE KNOWS THE RULES.The mission comes first. You are a deniable asset. Betrayal is punished by death.'Operative 66 is an action-packed thrill ride...twists and turns that will keep you guessing at a blistering pace that never lets up.' ADAM HAMDY'A writer of almost cinematic talent' DAILY EXPRESS From the internationally bestselling author of the Wilde & Chase series comes an explosive new thriller - the perfect pulse-racing read for fans of LEE CHILD, DAVID BALDACCI, VINCE FLYNN and GREGG HURWITZ.Alex Reeve is Operative 66. A former special ops soldier and one of the UK's deadliest weapons, he is part of the secretive SC9 - an elite security service with a remit to neutralise the country's most dangerous enemies.But now Reeve is in the firing line. Accused of treason, Reeve is forced to flee as his team is instructed to eliminate the 'rogue asset' at any cost. Reeve must survive, alone and under the radar, with the full power of the state arrayed against him.He doesn't know why he's a target. Or who betrayed him. But if one man has the skills necessary to uncover the truth...it is Operative 66.
Operative 66: Agent. Assassin. Traitor?
by Andy McDermottEVERY OPERATIVE KNOWS THE RULES.The mission comes first. You are a deniable asset. Betrayal is punished by death.'Operative 66 is an action-packed thrill ride...twists and turns that will keep you guessing at a blistering pace that never lets up.' ADAM HAMDY'A writer of almost cinematic talent' DAILY EXPRESS From the internationally bestselling author of the Wilde & Chase series comes an explosive new thriller - the perfect pulse-racing read for fans of LEE CHILD, DAVID BALDACCI, VINCE FLYNN and GREGG HURWITZ.Alex Reeve is Operative 66. A former special ops soldier and one of the UK's deadliest weapons, he is part of the secretive SC9 - an elite security service with a remit to neutralise the country's most dangerous enemies.But now Reeve is in the firing line. Accused of treason, Reeve is forced to flee as his team is instructed to eliminate the 'rogue asset' at any cost. Reeve must survive, alone and under the radar, with the full power of the state arrayed against him.He doesn't know why he's a target. Or who betrayed him. But if one man has the skills necessary to uncover the truth...it is Operative 66.
Operative 66: Agent. Assassin. Traitor? (Alex Reeve)
by Andy McDermottFormer special ops soldier Alex Reeve is OPERATIVE 66.One of the UK's deadliest weapons, he is part of the mysterious C6 - an elite and top-secret security service with a remit to neutralise the country's most dangerous enemies. But now Reeve is in the firing line. Framed as a traitor, Reeve is forced to flee as every operative is instructed to kill the 'rogue asset'. On the run from his own government, alone and under the radar, Reeve must survive off grid with fearsome assassins on his trail. He doesn't know why he's a target. Or who betrayed him. But if one man has the skills necessary to uncover the truth...it is Operative 66.From the international bestseller comes an explosive, action-packed new thriller series - the perfect pulse-racing read for fans of LEE CHILD, DAVID BALDACCI and GREGG HUWITZ.(P)2020 Headline Publishing Group Ltd
Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs: The Unknown Story of the Men and Women of World War II's OSS
by Patrick K. O'DonnellThe battles of World War II were won not only by the soldiers on the front lines, and not only by the generals and admirals, but also by the shadow warriors whose work is captured for the first time in Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs. Thanks to the interviews and narrative skills of Patrick O'Donnell and to recent declassifications, an entire chapter of history can now be revealed. A hidden war -- a war of espionage, intrigue, and sabotage -- played out across the occupied territories of Europe, deep inside enemy lines. Supply lines were disrupted; crucial intelligence was obtained and relayed back to the Allies; resistance movements were organized. Sometimes, impromptu combat erupted; more often, the killing was silent and targeted. The full story of the Office of Strategic Services -- OSS, precursor to the CIA -- is a dramatic final chapter on one of history's most important conflicts. In a world made unrecognizable by the restrictions placed on the CIA today, OSS played fast and loose. Legendary chief "Wild Bill" Donovan created a formidable organization in short order, recruiting not only the best and brightest, but also the most fearless. His agents, both men and women, relied on guile, sex appeal, brains, and sheer guts to operate behind the lines, often in disguise, always in secret. Patrick O'Donnell, called "the next Studs Terkel" by bestselling author Hampton Sides, has made it his life's mission to capture untold stories of World War II before the last of its veterans passes away. He has succeeded in extracting stories from the toughest of men, the most elite of soldiers, and, now, the most secretive of all: the men and women of OSS. From former CIA director William Colby, who parachuted into Norway to sever rail lines, to Virginia Hall, who disguised herself as a milkmaid, joined the French Resistance, and became one of Germany's most wanted figures, the stories of OSS are worthy of great fiction. Yet the stories in this book are all true, carefully verified by O'Donnell's painstaking research. The agents of OSS did not earn public acclaim. There were no highly publicized medal ceremonies. But the full story of OSS reveals crucial work in espionage and sabotage, work that paved the way for the Allied invasions and disrupted the Axis defenses. Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs proves that the hidden war was among the most dramatic and important elements of World War II.
The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior
by Robert O'Neill<P>A stirringly evocative, thought-provoking, and often jaw-dropping account, The Operator ranges across SEAL Team Operator Robert O’Neill’s awe-inspiring four-hundred-mission career, which included his involvement in attempts to rescue “Lone Survivor” Marcus Luttrell and abducted-by-Somali-pirates Captain Richard Phillips and which culminated in those famous three shots that dispatched the world’s most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden. <P>In these pages, O’Neill describes his idyllic childhood in Butte, Montana; his impulsive decision to join the SEALs; the arduous evaluation and training process; and the even tougher gauntlet he had to run to join the SEALs’ most elite unit. After officially becoming a SEAL, O’Neill would spend more than a decade in the most intense counterterror effort in US history. For extended periods, not a night passed without him and his small team recording multiple enemy kills—and though he was lucky enough to survive, several of the SEALs he’d trained with and fought beside never made it home. <P>The Operator describes the nonstop action of O’Neill’s deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, evokes the black humor of years-long combat, brings to vivid life the lethal efficiency of the military’s most selective units, and reveals firsthand details of the most celebrated terrorist takedown in history. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
The Operator: The Seal Team Operative And The Mission That Changed The World
by Robert O'Neill<P>A stirringly evocative, thought-provoking, and often jaw-dropping account of SEAL Team Operator Robert O’Neill’s awe-inspiring 400-mission career. <P> O’Neill describes his idyllic childhood in Butte, Montana; his impulsive decision to join the SEALs; the arduous evaluation and training process; and the even tougher gauntlet he had to run to join the SEALs’ most elite unit. After officially becoming a SEAL, O’Neill would spend more than a decade in the most intense counterterror effort in US history. <P>For extended periods, not a night passed without him and his small team recording multiple enemy kills—and though he was lucky enough to survive, several of the SEALs he’d trained with and fought beside never made it home. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
Operator Down: A Pike Logan Thriller
by Brad TaylorFormer Special Forces Officer and New York Times bestselling author Brad Taylor delivers a heart-pounding thriller where Pike Logan's search for a Mossad agent and ally puts him on a collision course with a ruthless military coup in Africa—and tests his loyalties to the Taskforce.It was to be a simple mission. Nothing more than assessing whether a merchant in the fabled Israeli Diamond Exchange was involved in a scheme that could potentially embarrass the state of Israel. But nothing is ever simple in the world of intelligence, as Aaron Bergman—a former leader of an elite direct action team under the Mossad—should have known. Executing the operation as a contractor, a cutout that gave the State of Israel plausible deniability, he disappears without a trace.Pike Logan and his team know none of this, but he’s tracking an American arms dealer in Tel Aviv who may—or may not—be attempting to sell sensitive nuclear weapons components to the highest bidder. When Pike’s team breaks up an attempt at killing Shoshana, Aaron’s partner, they stumble upon much more than they expected—a concerted conspiracy to topple a democratic African country.Beginning to untangle a web that extends through both the American and Israeli intelligence community, Pike is forced to choose between his Israeli friends and his Taskforce mission, even as the execution of the coup begins to form. At the heart of it is Aaron, and his disappearance is the one mistake the plotters made. Because Shoshana is the greatest killing machine the Mossad has ever produced, and she will stop at nothing to help Aaron, even if it means killing Pike Logan.
The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America's War in Afghanistan
by Michael HastingsThe inspiration for the upcoming movie WAR MACHINE, starring Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton and Ben Kingsley (streaming on Netflix from 26 May).General Stanley McChrystal, the innovative commander of international and US forces in Afghanistan, was living large. Loyal staff liked to call him a 'rock star'. During a spring 2010 trip across Europe to garner additional Allied help for the war effort, McChrystal was accompanied by journalist Michael Hastings of ROLLING STONE. For days, Hastings looked on as McChrystal and his staff let off steam, partying and openly bashing the Obama administration for what they saw as a lack of leadership. When Hastings' piece appeared a few months later, it set off a political firestorm: McChrystal was ordered to Washington, where he was unceremoniously fired.In THE OPERATORS, Hastings gives us a shocking behind-the-scenes portrait of Allied military commanders, their high-stakes manoeuvres and often bitter bureaucratic in-fighting. He takes us on patrol missions in the Afghan hinterlands and to hotel bars where spies and expensive hookers participate in nation-building gone awry, drawing back the curtain on a hellish complexity and, he fears, an unwinnable war.
The Operators: On The Street with Britain's Most Secret Service (Pen And Sword Military Classics Ser.)
by James RennieFew outside the security services have heard of 14 Company. As deadly as the SAS yet more secret, the Operators of 14 Company are Britains most effective weapon against international terrorism. For every bomb that goes off 14 Company prevent twelve. The selection process is the most physically, intellectually and emotionally demanding anywhere in the world. Trained to operate under cover, Operators have at their disposal an arsenal of techniques and weapons unmatched by any other UK government or military agency. This is the true story of one Operator and of some of the most hair-raising military operations ever conducted on the streets of Britain.
Operazione Broadsword (La guerra di Eve - Eroine del SOE #3)
by Hannah HoweOperazione Broadsword è il terzo libro nella serie La guerra di Eve - Eroine del SOE. Il libro può essere letto come romanzo indipendente. Tuttavia, per godere al massimo della serie consigliamo di leggere i libri in ordine. La guerra di Eve è una serie di dodici romanzi. Ogni libro contiene circa 20.000 parole e una storia completa. Ti preghiamo di notare che il prezzo nel corso della serie verrà stabilito al minimo e che l'arco narrativo di Eve giungerà a conclusione alla fine della serie. Mentre Mimi esaminava la sua radio, una figura emerse dalle tenebre. Tra i trenta e i quaranta anni, aveva delle spalle larghe e una stazza muscolosa mentre un naso fiero e dei baffi tagliati con cura dominavano il suo viso bellissimo. «I gufi sono rumorosi stanotte», disse l’uomo rivelando una voce benedetta da un profondo baritono. «Quando sei l’uccello più saggio, ti è permesso fare molto rumore», risposi io. Stabilite le nostre parole in codice, l’uomo si fece avanti e mi strinse la mano. La sua stretta di mano era decisa, e la sua contrattilità minacciava di staccarmi il braccio dalla spalla. «Io sono Jean-Claude», sorrise lui. «Jean-Claude Quiniou. Vi accompagnerò alla casa sicura e vi presenterò la famiglia Le Roux.» «Io sono Genevieve», dissi, «e questa è Lise.» Ovviamente usai i nostri pseudonimi, perché Eve e Mimi appartenevano a un’altra vita. I libri della serie in ordine: Operazione Zigzag Operazione Locksmith Operazione Broadsword Operation Treasure Operation Sherlock Operation Cameo Operation Rose Operation Watchmaker Operation Overlord Operation Jedburgh Operation Butterfly Operation Liberty
Operazione Locksmith: La guerra di Eve - Eroine del SOE (La guerra di Eve - Eroine del SOE #2)
by Hannah HoweLa guerra di Eve è una serie di dodici romanzi. Ogni libro contiene circa 20.000 parole e una storia completa. Ti preghiamo di notare che il prezzo nel corso della serie verrà stabilito al minimo e che l'arco narrativo di Eve giungerà a conclusione alla fine della serie. «Mi sembra di capire che lei desideri ritornare in Francia», disse l’uomo dietro la scrivania di mogano. «Esatto», dissi. «Le sue motivazioni?» chiese lui, lisciandosi gli angoli dei baffi. «Per fare la mia parte nello sforzo bellico», dissi, «per sconfiggere i nazisti e scoprire cos’è successo a mio marito.» «Sarebbe estremamente rischioso», disse l’uomo apparentemente fastidioso, «perfino suicida per una donna sola intraprendere una tale impresa. Tuttavia, c’è un’alternativa.» «Un’alternativa?» Mi corrucciai. «Sì. La faremo paracadutare, come una dei nostri. Ovviamente dovrà prima sottoporsi a un addestramento. Un addestramento rigoroso. Un addestramento top secret. Se fallisce, temo che ciò significherà un soggiorno in ghiacciaia, possibilmente fino alla fine della guerra.» «In ghiacciaia?» «Ma sono fiducioso che non arriverà a quel punto», disse lui ignorando la mia domanda. «Quando può iniziare?» Cominciai immediatamente. E durante il mio addestramento incontrai due persone che avrebbero ridefinito radicalmente la mia vita: Guy Samson e Mimi Duchamp. Scoprii anche dei segreti su me stessa, delle abilità oltre la mia immaginazione. Tuttavia, man mano che l’addestramento si intensificava, la stessa cosa successe alle situazioni che divennero troppo reali, finché non raggiunsero il punto in cui dovetti uccidere o essere uccisa.
Operazione Nimrod: L’Assedio all’Ambasciata Iraniana
by Russell PhillipsBasandosi su ricerche approfondite, Operazione Nimrod dissipa i miti e rivela la verità di quei sei lunghi giorni e del drammatico salvataggio che portò il SAS alla ribalta. <P><P> Il 29 aprile 1980 la polizia britannica aveva assicurato all'Iran che la sua ambasciata era al sicuro. Il giorno dopo dei terroristi presero d'assalto l'ambasciata e catturarono ventisei ostaggi. Con il governo iraniano disposto a lasciare che gli ostaggi divenissero martiri e il governo britannico disposto a trattare solo a fronte della resa dei terroristi, ventisei vite erano appese a un filo. <P><P> Ciò che seguì furono sei giorni di tensione e terrore. Tutto finì quando il SAS lanciò un'audace missione di salvataggio, trasmessa in diretta televisiva. Milioni di persone trattennero il respiro, in attesa di conoscere il risultato dell'Operazione Nimrod. <P><P> Compra questo libro per conoscere la verità su una delle missioni di soccorso più drammatiche mai condotte dal SAS.
Operazione Sherlock (La guerra di Eve, Eroine dell'SOE #5)
by Hannah Howe"Arthur è preoccupato per la nuova arma del terrore dei nazisti", disse Guy. " Dei razzi; hanno il potenziale per causare morte, distruzione e caos in Gran Bretagna. Vuole che localizziamo il sito di lancio in modo che la RAF possa bombardarlo". "Come possiamo farlo?" Chiesi. "La Resistenza a Parigi pensa di aver individuato il sito", disse Guy. "Arthur vuole che confermiamo i loro sospetti". "Perché la cellula Sherlock sul posto non se ne occupa?". Chiese Mimi. "Recentemente", disse Guy, "la Gestapo ha catturato il loro operatore radio. La loro rete è nel caos. La fiducia è ai minimi". Guardai Mimi e notai i suoi lineamenti bianchi e tirati. Come nostra operatrice radio, viveva sotto costante stress; ogni trasmissione rappresentava una potenziale cattura. Un viaggio a Parigi sembrava meraviglioso. Tuttavia, l'espressione preoccupata di Mimi mi ricordò che stavamo viaggiando verso il pericolo, potenzialmente verso la morte.
Operazione Zigzag: Primo libro de La guerra di Eve - Eroine del SOE
by Hannah HoweLa guerra di Eve è una serie di dodici romanzi. Ogni libro contiene circa 20.000 parole e una storia completa. Ti preghiamo di notare che il prezzo nel corso della serie verrà stabilito al minimo e che l'arco narrativo di Eve giungerà a conclusione alla fine della serie. Marsiglia, Dicembre 1942 «Siamo nei guai,» disse Vincent. «La Gestapo ha catturato un agente britannico, col nome in codice di Zigzag. L’hanno acciuffato tramite i documenti falsi, l’unica cosa è che non hanno ancora scoperto la sua vera identità. Ma lo faranno. E lui parlerà. Lo fanno tutti alla fine. E quando parlerà rivelerà i segreti che distruggeranno le reti di resistenza locale, inclusa la nostra. Ma c’è una via d’uscita, attraverso una guardia. È aperto alle tangenti. Vorremmo che tu, Eve, incontrassi la guardia. La corromperai, tirerai fuori Zigzag dalla prigione della Gestapo e poi lo porterai sul passo alpino verso la Spagna.» «Perché io?» Chiesi. «Perché hai aiutato a creare la rete di fuga. E conosci i sentieri alpini come le tue tasche. Inoltre, in quanto moglie dello stimato imprenditore Michel Beringar, sei al di sopra di ogni sospetto.» Lanciai un’occhiata a Michel. Dallo sguardo severo che aveva in volto, capii che non era felice. Assumermi questo rischio era troppo? E quanto a me al di sopra di ogni sospetto...la Gestapo mi stava seguendo e intercettava le mie telefonate. Da ragazzina ero scappata via di casa. Da adolescente avevo girato il mondo, tirando avanti grazie al mio ingegno Da giornalista ero stata testimone di atrocità inflitte in nome del fascismo. Da membro della Resistenza, avevo visto la paura e l'avevo fissata negli occhi. Negli ultimi trent’anni avevo vissuto una vita piena. Potevo farcela. Eppure, mentre esprimevo il mio consenso sapevo che la mia vita a Marsiglia, la mia vita con Michel, non sarebbe più stata la stessa.
The Opium Wars
by W. Hanes III Frank SanelloIn this tragic and powerful story, the two Opium Wars of 1839-1842 and 1856-1860 between Britain and China are recounted for the first time through the eyes of the Chinese as well as the Imperial West. Opium entered China during the Middle Ages when Arab traders brought it into China for medicinal purposes. As it took hold as a recreational drug, opium wrought havoc on Chinese society. By the early nineteenth century, 90 percent of the Emperor's court and the majority of the army were opium addicts.Britain was also a nation addicted-to tea, grown in China, and paid for with profits made from the opium trade. When China tried to ban the use of the drug and bar its Western smugglers from it gates, England decided to fight to keep open China's ports for its importation. England, the superpower of its time, managed to do so in two wars, resulting in a drug-induced devastation of the Chinese people that would last 150 years.In this page-turning, dramatic and colorful history, The Opium Wars responds to past, biased Western accounts by representing the neglected Chinese version of the story and showing how the wars stand as one of the monumental clashes between the cultures of East and West."A fine popular account."-Publishers Weekly"Their account of the causes, military campaigns and tragic effects of these wars is absorbing, frequently macabre and deeply unsettling."-Booklist
The Oppermanns
by Lion FeuchtwangerWritten in real time, as the Nazis consolidated their power over the winter of 1933, The Oppermanns captures the fall of Weimar Germany through the eyes of one bourgeois Jewish family, shocked and paralyzed by an ideology they cannot comprehend.In the foment of Weimar-era Berlin, the Oppermann brothers represent tradition and stability. One brother oversees the furniture chain founded by their grandfather, one is an eminent surgeon, one a respected critic. They are rich, cultured, liberal, and public spirited, proud inheritors of the German enlightenment. They don&’t see Hitler as a threat. Then, to their horror, the Nazis come to power, and the Oppermanns and their children are faced with the terrible decision of whether to adapt—if they can—flee, or try to fight. Written in 1933, nearly in real time, The Oppermanns captures the day-to-day vertigo of watching a liberal democracy fall apart. As Joshua Cohen writes in his introduction to this new edition, it is &“one of the last masterpieces of German-Jewish culture.&” Prescient and chilling, it has lost none of its power today.
Opportunities Gained And Lost: J. E. B. Stuart’s Cavalry Operations In The Seven Days Campaign
by Major James R. SmithThis study evaluates Confederate cavalry operations 12 June to 3 July 1862, as a prelude to and as a part of the "Seven Days Campaign." General Robert E. Lee's Seven Days Campaign succeeded in defeating a Union offensive aimed at Richmond, Virginia and served as an important turning point in the American Civil War. The thesis seeks to determine the substantive contributions General J. E. B. Stuart's cavalry brigade made to this Confederate victory, as well as to assess the strengths and shortcomings of his particular style of mounted employmentStuart launched an armed reconnaissance 12-15 June 1862 known thereafter as the "Chickahominy Raid" that provided intelligence vital to General Lee's success in the campaign and helped to bolster sagging Confederate morale. This was the first of the Confederate cavalry leader's renowned "raids," a style of operation that would be adopted by other Confederate mounted units and the Union cavalry as well. Stuart also attempted to strike out independently during the Seven Days Campaign itself, but his activities in this regard were not well synchronized with the rest of Lee's army. As a result, Stuart missed opportunities to play a more decisive role in the battles outside Richmond.
Opportunities Lost: Prelude To Chickamauga
by Major Mark A. SamsonThis study investigates the history of the Confederate Army of Tennessee from formation under command of Braxton Bragg through the eve of Chickamauga. The specific question to be answered is whether the Army of Tennessee was presented opportunities to destroy the Union Army of the Cumberland prior to Chickamauga, and if so why they were not taken advantage of. Answering this question requires an examination of the history of the Army of Tennessee prior to September 1863, with emphasis on Braxton Bragg's personality and abilities.Between September 9th and 10th 1863 Bragg had a concrete opportunity to destroy a large part of the Army of the Cumberland in McLemore's Cove, and over succeeding days he identified other favorable situations that might have led to successful attacks on isolated Union Corps. He was, however, unable to orchestrate a successful strike against the separated Federal units. A key contributor to the failures was the poor Confederate command climate that had developed in the Army of Tennessee over the preceding year. Bragg's Corps commanders and some Division commanders lacked confidence in Bragg's abilities. This led them to hesitate when prompt obedience was called for. Bragg himself grew frustrated by his inability to compel heartfelt cooperation from his principal subordinates and became unwilling to take a bold risk when opportunity appeared.
Opportunity In Danger: Manstein’s East Front Strategy From 19 November 1942 To 18 March 1943
by Lt. Steven B. Bolstad USNIn the 1990s the United States Armed Forces will be asked by its leaders to do more with less. This represents a significant turn from the policies of the last decade. During World War Two the German Army operated effectively under similar policy constraints. There are many lessons in strategic planning that can be learned from Field Marshal Erich von Manstein's operations during the Winter of 1942-43. He was able to grasp tremendous opportunity amid extreme strategic danger. He decisively changed the strategic situation on the Eastern Front over a four month period. This thesis addresses the following questions. What factors enabled him to operate so effectively? What hindered him? What decisions did he make, when and why? How might leaders today make similar decisions under similar circumstances and be as successful? The answers to these questions will be of great value to the United States Armed Forces as they restructure themselves for the 1990s.
Oppose Any Foe: The Rise of America's Special Operations Forces
by Mark MoyarOppose Any Foe is the epic story of America's most elite warriors: the Special Operations Forces. Born as small appendages to the conventional armies of World War II, the Special Operations Forces have grown into a behemoth of 70,000 troops, including Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, Air Force Night Stalkers, Special Operations Marines, Rangers, and Delta Force. Weaving together their triumphs and tribulations, acclaimed historian Mark Moyar introduces a colorful cast of military men, brimming with exceptional talent, courage and selflessness.In a nation where the military is the most popular institution, America's Special Operations Forces have become the most popular members of the military. Through nighttime raids on enemy compounds and combat advising of resistance movements, special operators have etched their names into the nation's registry of heroes. Yet the public knows little of the journey that they took to reach these heights, a journey that was neither easy nor glamorous.Fighting an uphill battle for most of their seventy-five year history, the Special Operations Forces slipped on many an occasion, and fell far on several. Presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama have enthusiastically championed Special Operations Forces, but their enthusiasm has often surpassed their understanding, resulting in misuse or overuse of the troops. Lacking clearly defined missions, Special Operations Forces have had to reinvent themselves time and again to prove their value in the face of fierce critics-many of them from the conventional military, which from the start opposed the segregation of talent in special units.Highlighting both the heroism of America's most elite soldiers and the controversies surrounding their meteoric growth, Oppose Any Foe presents the first comprehensive history of these special warriors and their daring missions. It is essential reading for anyone interested in America's military history-and the future of warfare.
Opposing Oaths (Ghosts in the Yew #2)
by Blake Hausladen“Ghosts in the Yew gave me the same feeling as another book I read last year en thoroughly enjoyed: The Pillars of the Earth". – Draumr Kopa Fantasy Book BlogThis novella is part two of Ghosts in the Yew, also available as a collection.As Barok’s history is revealed, loyalty is questioned, and allies must choose.“You are either a friend of a foe. Barok is an heir to two thrones. We serve a man like no other in all the history of Zoviya.”Magic begins to grow in this epic fantasy surrounded by the mystery of old gods, blood magic, and statecraft. Ignited by redemption and conquest, this journey will test their struggles to survive and will put them at odds with their families, their nation, and the very powers that shaped the world. But, this story is bigger than these things.It’s bigger than all of us.You can read the trilogy in full volumes, or broken up into five novellas each.The Vestal Series1. Ghosts in the Yew Novella 1 - Beyond the Edge Novella 2 - Opposing Oaths Novella 3 - Reckless Borders Novella 4 - Bayen's Women Novella 5 - Falling Tides2. Native Silver Novella 1 - Sutler's Road Novella 2 - Forgotten Stairs Novella 3 - Thrall's Wine Novella 4 - Corsair Princess Novella 5 - Tanayon Born 3. The Vastness Novella 1 - Silent Rebellion Novella 2 - The River War Novella 3 - The Blinded Novella 4 - Crimson Valley Novella 5 - Singer's Reward"The author has clearly done his research in writing this book, and I was very impressed with his description of the rebuilding of the nation of Enhedu. Mostly though, he has created characters who go through harrowing ordeals that you latch onto and care deeply about. Oh, and the battles he describes are epic and will leave you on the edge of your seat.” – Sam, Goodreads
Opposing Perspectives on the Drone Debate
by Bradley Jay StrawserDoes the lethal use of drones pose any new or difficult moral problems? Or is the controversy over these weapons merely a distraction from deeper questions regarding the justice of war and the United States' bellicose foreign policy? Opposing Perspectives on the Drone Debate pulls no punches in answering these questions as five scholars square off in a lively debate over the ethics of drones and their contentious use in a point-counterpoint debate. The contributing authors are some of the foremost thinkers in international affairs today, spanning the disciplines of philosophy, sociology, political science, and law. Topics debated range from the US's contested policy of so-called "targeted killing" in Pakistan's tribal regions to fears over the damaging effects such weaponry has on our democratic institutions to the more abstract moral questions raised by killing via remote control such as the duty to capture over kill.
Oppy Wood (Battleground Europe Ser.)
by David BiltonThis latest book in the Battleground Europe series describes the battles over several years, and in particular 1917 and 1918, for a wood and small village. The Germans stubbornly refused to retreat as the area held a key position in their defense of Arras.In the bitter fighting, thousands of young men mainly from East Yorkshire (Hull) and East Lancashire were sacrificed.
Optimal Control with Aerospace Applications
by James M. Longuski José J. Guzmán John E. PrussingWant to know not just what makes rockets go up but how to do it optimally? Optimal control theory has become such an important field in aerospace engineering that no graduate student or practicing engineer can afford to be without a working knowledge of it. This is the first book that begins from scratch to teach the reader the basic principles of the calculus of variations, develop the necessary conditions step-by-step, and introduce the elementary computational techniques of optimal control. This book, with problems and an online solution manual, provides the graduate-level reader with enough introductory knowledge so that he or she can not only read the literature and study the next level textbook but can also apply the theory to find optimal solutions in practice. No more is needed than the usual background of an undergraduate engineering, science, or mathematics program: namely calculus, differential equations, and numerical integration. Although finding optimal solutions for these problems is a complex process involving the calculus of variations, the authors carefully lay out step-by-step the most important theorems and concepts. Numerous examples are worked to demonstrate how to apply the theories to everything from classical problems (e. g. , crossing a river in minimum time) to engineering problems (e. g. , minimum-fuel launch of a satellite). Throughout the book use is made of the time-optimal launch of a satellite into orbit as an important case study with detailed analysis of two examples: launch from the Moon and launch from Earth. For launching into the field of optimal solutions, look no further!