Snipers WO Cullen, SGT Nisbet et al wrote a book on what it takes to be a sniper intermixed with stories of real-world missions in Afghanistan. The book is with agent Alec Shane.
In the meanwhile Cullen and Nisbet are on a Canadian veterans podcast - you can find it here:
Campaign 400: The Second Punic War in Iberia 219–206 BC. (https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-second-punic-war-in-iberia-219-206-bc-from-hannibal-at-saguntum-to-the-battle-of-ilipa-mir-bahmanyar/19994256?ean=9781472859754)
Yes, I am one of those people who has always been fascinated by Hannibal. Back in the day when I was very young the shopping center across from our home in Hamburg, Germany had an old game in one of the retail stores. It wasn’t so much a game in the traditional sense but more a of question and answer one, a test your knowledge kind of a thing. The question that has remained with me to this day was: How many elephants did Hannibal have when he crossed the Alps?
Since then life has kept me busy but the fascination for the Punic Wars remained throughout eventually leading to a 200 plus book collection as well as hundreds if not thousands of scholarly articles. I have travelled to Italy, including Sicily, and Spain to which I will return this year for some additional trips to Phoenician/Carthaginian sites.
Campaign 400 The Second Punic War in Iberia 219–206 BC came out of several failed book proposals. Seemingly, the market did not want yet another book on Hannibal – what’s wrong with editors? Fortunately, I pitched my long time editor Nikolai Bogdanovic, who also had commissioned Campaign 299 on the battle of Zama, a smaller aspect of the incredible Punic Wars and he accepted the proposal. Spain it was and I was delighted.
The exciting thing for me was to trace the first Carthaginian encroachment before the Second Punic War in Spain. Phoenicians had been there of course, as had Carthaginians and many others. I was also excited about the non-Hannibal actors in the theater such as Hamilcar, the Hasdrubals, Mago and Numidian leaders who proved crucial for and against Carthage throughout the campaigns. And then, of course, there was Hannibal as a young commander having learned the art of war and winning his first battles in Iberia. Examining sieges, focusing on Saguntum mostly, it is easy to understand the challenges Hannibal would have had to have faced had he laid siege to Rome after his mass-slaughter victory over the Romans at Cannae years later in mainland Italy. The Second Punic War in Iberia 219–206 BC spends considerable time in the early years of the re-conquest of the peninsula by Carthage. It traces its slow but methodical expansion along the south-eastern seaboard and the founding of several bases including that of New Carthage. It details the competition with Greek colonies and alliances that led to Roman interference and eventual war.
Spain with its diverse cultures and tribes and with its varying environments from coasts to plains to mountain ranges are fully featured in the Iberian campaigns. Who can forget Scipio’s audacious attack on New Carthage? Or Hannibal’s march through Spain to lay siege to several native cities east of modern Madrid or the battle he fought outnumbered four to one while returning to his base at New Carthage? The other fascinating events were the ever-shifting alliances for and against the Carthaginian and Roman invaders resulting in the assassinations of Hamilcar and Hasdrubal the Fair, and the abandonment, at times, of Roman forces leading to disastrous results. Two Scipios died in Spain. For Hannibal, Spain was the proving ground as a highly-skilled commander but the fight for the peninsula was by and large waged by his brothers Hasdrubal and Mago.
The campaign in Spain was crucial to the overall conduct of the second of the Punic Wars, and Carthage, often accused of not supporting the war effort, did spend fortunes on reinforcements despite its naval inferiority to the Romans. Ultimately, Spain was conquered by the Romans, the logistical support for Hannibal in Italy was cut off, Numidian alliances shifted favoring Rome, finally leading to Carthage’s defeat in the Second Punic War. Often the Numidian and Iberian warriors are left with a poor image by many scholars. In this book I hope to demonstrate their value and contributions to the overall campaigns.
My last book featured the wonderful artwork of the great Peter Dennis who recently retired. I have seen the work of the Italian artist Marco Capparoni for the new book and I am rather pleased. Hopefully, you too will enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed writing it – well, I actually had a blast.
The Second Punic War in Iberia 219–206 BC is an excellent primer for anyone interested in general military history in this theater of war. Its release date is 23 April, 2024.
His website is linked followed by a film on Youtube - you can also read a Guardian article by Andrei Netto you’ll find below
I photographed the world,” says Sebastião Salgado, flicking through the archive in his Paris studio. Salgado, who turns 80 this week, has witnessed wars, revolutions, coups, humanitarian crises, and famine. He has also seen some of the most pristine places on the planet – locations and peoples untouched by the devastating fury of the modern world.
His body of work, an instantly recognisable combination of black-and-white composition and dramatic lighting, has been built up over decades, covering hundreds of assignments in 130 countries and his name stands in the photojournalist pantheon alongside figures such as Robert Capa, Eugene Smith, Margaret Bourke-White, Henri Cartier-Bresson, James Nachtwey and Steve McCurry.
Now, Salgado tells the Guardian, it’s time to step down. “I know I won’t live much longer. But I don’t want to live much longer. I’ve lived so much and seen so many things.”
Although still strong and active – able to walk or cycle several kilometres a day – his body is paying the price for his years working in some of the world’s most hostile and challenging places.
A long time ago this was the WWII Ranger Battalions Association, then it became the Sons & Daughters to todays version.
David Williams, the president, decided not to share Ranger research I requested last year as he sees this request a threat, a competitor to his work. Additionally, 2.5 months later, the “board” rejected my general membership application to join their FB [I stand corrected not FB but to join their members only section of the website - see below] page because “that would open the door to others.” But hey what’s this from their website?
If you are requesting General Membership:
A General Member (previously called Honorary Member) is defined in the By-Laws as being someone who is not related to a WWII Ranger as a spouse, son, daughter, niece, nephew or any descendant of these categories. If you are a General Member (meaning not Ranger family), when you send in your annual dues, please list on the back of this form, or on an additional sheet which follows for those joining on-line, your intended contributions ( non-monetary) to the Descendants of WWII Rangers, Inc., and explain how you might further the above purposes of the Descendants of WWII Rangers organization.
Okay - Gollum has his “precious” and David has his although it is extremely unprincipled to exclude a former member of the association, a fund raiser, and an associate historian of it. Very un-author like and certainly not in the spirit of the Ranger Brotherhood to aid, assist and preserve all things Ranger…
He signs off his emails with “honoring my uncle” - a former Darby Ranger officer. I am certain his uncle would not approve - David’s behaviour is disrespectful and dishonourable.
It is also a shame that previously I was looking for a home with them for all the Ranger research I have but now I’ll look elsewhere.
This is not unexpected because Darby Ranger Jim Altieri (former president of RBA) and Combat Camera Phil Stern had told me they did not like the people that replaced them. Oh well - if only they knew.
I am not the only one who has complaints about David (other descendants and researchers do as well) but hey, life goes on - Rangers lead the way or they stagger onwards…
From David with my responses as a matter of fairness and truth:
Mr. Bahmanyar: To say that I was stunned when I learned of your slanderous remarks on your website about me, also implicating the Descendants of World War II Rangers, Inc., is an understatement: www.mirbahmanyarya.com. You have damaged my reputation as well as that of our organization, and I hope you will take down the Blog immediately. Here are the facts.
1. You contacted me asking for my files on WW II Rangers, saying you needed them to complete a book that you have under contract to be published in 2025. I responded by saying that I have written a book on the same subject and am not willing to turn over the files that I have collected over a 25 year period. It is a matter of academic integrity that I keep these files at least until my book is published. When and if it is in the public domain it can be shared. As an author and researcher I would expect that you understand that. What a mean, damaging comment for you to call my behavior “shameful” - and to do it in public.
[I did not ask for files that I needed to complete my book. This is what I sent: Hello David
I am writing a book on Darby’s Rangers to be published in 2025. Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of time to deliver the manuscript - end of summer latest.
Phil Stern and Jim Altieri were friends. Not sure if you had asked me about Stern’s photographs a long time ago?
Anyway, I am looking for any help I can get to craft a good book historically but importantly a personality driven one. The idea is to tell the story through the eyes of some 12-24 Rangers. Although I have a list I’d like to also write about men who were killed early on or Rangers who joined later. So personal details matter. I’ll also cover the First Special Service Force.
I do have thousands of pages of material including most of Bob Black’s archives, the sealed court judgment on Shunstrom, 100+ Stern photos and so forth. I have been to Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland a couple of times and will revisit Sicily and Italy next year.
I am an author and researcher and understand sharing material since it belongs to all (to be fair this holding onto material is something new to me) – it has always been about preserving and sharing Ranger history. Accumulating material as a member of an association that is supposed to preserve history and then not willing to share anything – not everything - because it might help a “competitor” is shameful or maybe just selfish. Additionally, David’s book is with a publisher so he is well ahead of me – so what’s the problem? Many others have supported this effort as it is intended to preserve some Ranger history for future generations. I have shared research, stories etc with numerous writers, researchers, associations, and a museum as well as Darby Rangers and it has always been supportive and for the greater good.]
2. You sent $50.00 to the Descendants to join the organization, hoping to gain access to the Descendants’ Members’ Only site where we keep Morning Reports and Records. In this case Members Only means voting members, which are defined in our Constitution as lineal descendants of WW II Rangers. Perhaps our message on the web was unclear to you. Nevertheless, I sensed ill feelings on your part and therefore, to step aside, I took the matter to our nine member Board of Directors who voted that access to the Members Only site is for Voting Members only. You then said that if you could not have access to the Members Only site, you wanted your $50 back, and it was returned to you.
[Actually the intent was primarily to reach out to members to see if anyone had anything they’d be willing to share – I do have all of the Morning Reports and Rosters generously shared by Bob Black, Jim Altieri, the Donovan Technical Library, Carlisle Barracks etc. I never asked for the fee to be returned – I asked about the status of the membership application after 2 months. Instead of refunding the credit card I was sent a check.
Also note – you should probably remove this from your website: A General Member (previously called Honorary Member) is defined in the By-Laws as being someone who is not related to a WWII Ranger as a spouse, son, daughter, niece, nephew or any descendant of these categories. If you are a General Member (meaning not Ranger family), when you send in your annual dues, please list on the back of this form, or on an additional sheet which follows for those joining on-line, your intended contributions ( non-monetary) to the Descendants of WWII Rangers, Inc., and explain how you might further the above purposes of the Descendants of WWII Rangers organization.]
3. Finally, you mention a Facebook page. That group, which is named the World War II Rangers and Descendants, is independent of the Descendants of World War II Rangers, the formal group which is a non-profit foundation which I currently chair. The Descendants has nothing to do with management or over-sight of the Facebook page. The Descendants, the formal group which you slandered, has no involvement with the Facebook group except that a number of us belong as members. If you were turned down on Facebook, I had nothing to do with it and did not even know about it.
[This is a legitimate point – I did not know this. I stand corrected. UPDATE - actually I was correct as originally both worked together.]
Against my better judgment, I answered your three slanderous complaints. As a matter of fairness and truth, you should take down the post. You do not know me!
Lies, propaganda, lies and more lying propaganda… in complicity of Israel’s genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians
A great video by Owen Jones hosting Zach Foster, PhD, cutting through Israeli propaganda while highlighting historical facts.
Paul Woodadge had an Anzio Week. It included Brad St. Croix’s FSSF on the Anzio Beachhead and a segment on Mark Clark Anzio to Rome with James Holland just before the Ranger presentation.
Big thank you to Paul for having me and everyone who joined us live… very cool and very enjoyable.
Say it ain’t true. Kidding.
Can you imagine the corruption and not just from AIPAC (domestic and foreign interference - but what about Russia) but oil, guns, war corporations, pharma etc? These are the people who are constantly getting elected to the detriment of the American citizenry and the world - truly disgusting - Democrats and Republicans complicit in genocide and apartheid, all completely corrupt and always for sale to the highest bidder.
In any event here is a breakdown of the monies politicians receive to support Israel’s apartheid state and genocial campaign against Palestinians - then again we have done the same throughout our history, eh? The entire article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/10/congress-member-pro-israel-donations-military-support
Guardian analysis finds top recipients of pro-Israel contributions in last elections were centrist Democrats who defeated progressives in primaries
Tom Perkins, with data reporting by Will Craft
Congress members who were more supportive of Israel at the start of the Gaza war received over $100,000 more on average from pro-Israel donors during their last election than those who most supported Palestine, a Guardian analysis of campaign data shows.
Those who took more money most often called for US military support and backed Israel’s response, even as Gaza’s civilian death toll mounted, the findings show. The analysis, which looks at positions taken during the war’s first six weeks, does not prove any particular member changed their position because they received pro-Israel campaign donations. However, some campaign finance experts who viewed the data argue that donor spending helped fuel Congress’s overwhelming support for Israel.The analysis compared campaign contributions from pro-Israel groups and individuals to almost every member of the current Congress with each lawmaker’s statements on the war through mid-November.
About 82% of Congress members were more supportive of Israel, and just 9% more supportive of Palestine during this period. The remainder had “mixed” views. Legislators categorized as supportive of Israel received about $125,000 on average during their last election, while those supportive of Palestine on average took about $18,000.
The volume and breadth of the donors’ spending is considerable: over $58m went to current Congress members, and all but 33 received donations. (TEXT CONTINUES BELOW)
The findings have “profound implications for what American policy toward … Israel looks like”, said John Mearsheimer, a University of Chicago political scientist and co-author of the 2006 book The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy. “If there was no lobby pushing Congress in a particular direction in a really forceful way, the position of the US Congress on the war in Gaza would be fundamentally different.”
The groups’ campaign contributions have varying goals depending on the member. Spending can be “defensive” or “shore up support” in Congress for allies who already share pro-Israel groups’ views, said Sarah Bryner, a spokesperson for Open Secrets, which tracks campaign finance spending and collected the contributions data used in the Guardian’s analysis. Spending can also be “offensive”, or intended to persuade a lawmaker to take a pro-Israel position, campaign finance observers and political strategists who reviewed the data said.
The donors’ highest profile battles have involved members of the “The Squad”, like Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who are among the most critical of Israel. But statements from Representatives Don Bacon, Dan Kildee and André Carson in the wake of the 7 October attack in which 1,200 Israelis were killed help illustrate varying levels of donations and responses across Congress.
All three first strongly condemned the assault’s perpetrators and expressed deep sympathy for the victims, but their messaging quickly diverged.
Bacon, who received about $250,000, offered full-throated support for Israel: “Whatever Israel wants … we should be there to help.”
Carson, who received $3,000, took aim at Israel, denouncing its “unfair, two-tiered rule over the Palestinian people” and demanded a ceasefire.
Kildee, who received $91,000, fell somewhere in between, underscoring“Israel’s security and its right to respond” and his ”grave concern” over its airstrikes killing thousands of Palestinian civilians…
A quantitative analysis shows major newspapers skewed their coverage toward Israeli narratives in the first six weeks of the assault on Gaza.
THE NEW YORK Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times’s coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza showed a consistent bias against Palestinians, according to an Intercept analysis of major media coverage.
The print media outlets, which play an influential role in shaping U.S. views of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, paid little attention to the unprecedented impact of Israel’s siege and bombing campaign on both children and journalists in the Gaza Strip.
Major U.S. newspapers disproportionately emphasized Israeli deaths in the conflict; used emotive language to describe the killings of Israelis, but not Palestinians; and offered lopsided coverage of antisemitic acts in the U.S., while largely ignoring anti-Muslim racism in the wake of October 7. Pro-Palestinian activists have accused major publications of pro-Israel bias, with the New York Times seeing protests Opens in a new tabat its headquarters in Manhattan for its coverage of Gaza –– an accusation supported by our analysis.
Complete article here: https://theintercept.com/2024/01/09/newspapers-israel-palestine-bias-new-york-times/
I worked on the Good German and have fond memories of the production. One day Christian was improvising, er, changing some of his lines and the script supervisor told him to stop doing that and to stick to the script - image below of him and Cate courtesy WB. He was earnest and dedicated. A really nice guy. On the last day of production he handed out some small bottles of wine commemorating the film. I still have it so many years later. I also have Clooney’s US Army jacket but that is another story.
Christian…a good German.
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