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Our response to a pandemic and the civil unrest plaguing our cities at a time when domestic political ideologies seem irreconcilable has not gone unnoticed. They see a country divided. Have they accounted for that division in their battle plans?
We would be wise to remember that the Athenian historian Thucydides in the Melian Dialogue of his History of the Peloponnesian War characterizes hope as danger’s comforter. In modern military and intelligence parlance, the ancient Greek general’s text translates as hope is not a course of action. While this is true, hope is oftentimes all one has in times of despair. The lesson is one as old as time: Be prepared.
There is arguably no military text as influential as The Art of War. The Chinese military strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu knew that “the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
It is not openly discussed, but within this fraternity there were those who had but one thought: God, I wish I was on one of those planes. They are called to the fight: protectors, warriors, guardians. They are out there tonight. They are hunting. If the war returns to the home front, you want one of these sentinels standing by your side, armed and ready.
“One of the most striking proofs of the personal existence of Satan… is found in the fact, that he has so influenced the minds of multitudes in reference to his existence and doings, as to make them believe that he does not exist.” —WILLIAM RAMSEY
Reece knew the polygraph was largely theater. Yes, the machine measured blood pressure, breathing, sweat secretions, and muscle movements, but there was a reason that results of a “lie detector” test were inadmissible in every court in the civilized world. Its value was in making the candidate think it could detect deception. It was an expensive prop, one that had gotten more than one candidate over the years to admit to crimes that they would almost certainly have gotten away with otherwise.
Unlike popular Hollywood movies, television shows, and novels, one did not first enter into bio-containment level one, then two, then three, and then finally four. That looked good on camera to up the suspense as an actor steadily worked his or her way toward the deadly viruses within. In reality, the very few doctors cleared to work with the lethal pathogens bypassed levels one, two, and three. Their TS/SCI clearances had an additional designation, a SAP or Special Access Program, allowing them access to the inner sanctum of U.S. contagious disease research. Fewer still had access to another
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President Nixon had signed the Biological Weapons Convention in 1972. It went into effect on March 26, 1975, and outlawed the development, stockpiling, retention, and production of biological agents and toxins for hostile purposes, making what took place in Maryland a violation of international law. Technically speaking the two doctors were about to commit a war crime.
As with most technical innovations, the establishment was slow to adapt; Alec was not. His days in Silicon Valley, along with his time in combat, taught him that adapting faster than your enemy led to victory.
His eyes scanned the section of the order, a version of which had been signed or strengthened by every president since Gerald Ford. No person employed by or acting on behalf of the United States Government shall engage in or conspire to engage in assassination.
Under those code words and control labels was a name: JAMES REECE.
As Reece closed his eyes and fought off the nightmares, he remembered the pastor at Freddy’s funeral echoing the words from Isaiah 6:8 that he’d heard recited over the graves of so many of his SEAL brothers: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ ”
Racism is the witchcraft of the twenty-first century, and cancel culture is the stake at which you are burned.”
This cancel culture so popular on the left might finally work in our favor. Find me something I can use to bring down a president.”
Beware of the government that fears your guns. In less than the distance of a foot, she’d go from law-abiding citizen to felon. Citizens could be trusted in Virginia but not in D.C., though even that could change. Virginia had been trending away from the state motto so boldly emblazoned on their official state seal and flag: Sic semper tyrannis—Thus always to tyrants.
“Yes, actions hostile toward the United States constitute a forfeiture of citizenship. Legally, they would still be targetable with lethal force due to imminent threat, but to answer your question directly, a U.S. citizen gives up his or her citizenship, what the law calls a ‘loss of nationality,’ when he or she engages in hostilities against the United States. U.S. citizenship does not guarantee immunity in armed conflict.
Not forever. I’m going to do this job, get the intelligence from the Agency I need to find Nizar Kattan, and put him down. Then I’m out.
Those who sell the panic, sell the pill. Those politicians might be responsible for more deaths than your target, Reece.
“Fast is fine,” the master chief chided his boss, “but accuracy is everything.” “Wyatt Earp, I believe,”
Though the president never mentioned martial law in his address, it became the topic of the day. Never mentioned in the Constitution, not clearly defined by an act of Congress or by Supreme Court ruling, martial law has been enacted more than sixty times since 1776, perhaps most infamously by General Andrew Jackson in New Orleans during and after the War of 1812. Lawyers, pundits, and military analysts debated the merits of the Insurrection Act, posse comitatus, along with Title 10, Title 32, and Title 50 of the U.S. Code.
Always improve your fighting position.
The loudest voices dominated the chaos that was social media hysteria, and all of it contributed to the chaos. Suppression and censorship only fueled the flames.
“Luck is the residue of preparation,” Reece whispered,
