A while back, I was watching the SOFREP editor's round table, when former CIA intelligence officer and Marine James Powell made mention of a high-risk op that took place in Greece, on the island of Crete, during WWII. I was reminded of this peculiar case, a textbook case of audacious thinking by a small team of men. The year was 1943, just before Christmas. Major Patrick … [Read more...] about The abduction of a Nazi general in Crete
Vasilis Chronopoulos Articles
Battle of Vienna, Poland saves Europe
Vienna had been under siege for two months at the beginning of September of 1683. Count Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg, the garrison commander, had declared to the Ottoman Turks who had asked for his surrender that he would “fight to the last drop of blood.” And blood was running out fast in Vienna those days: The Ottoman army numbered approximately 170,000 men compared to … [Read more...] about Battle of Vienna, Poland saves Europe
Heroism in Ancient Times: The Battle of Thermopylae
I’m sure very few people have not seen Zack Snyder’s film “300.” After the movie was released, interest in the Spartans and their story increased. Units began adopting hoplite helmets as their unofficial logos, and supporters of the second amendment adopted the phrase “ΜΩΛΟΝ ΛΑΒΕ” -- King Leonidas's famous taunt to his Persian adversaries. Their popularity is well deserved, … [Read more...] about Heroism in Ancient Times: The Battle of Thermopylae
What’s happening to Turkey’s economy?
The Turkish economy is in deep trouble. The lira lost 20% of its value against the U.S. dollar on Friday. The reasons for that were varied, and it was a storm many saw coming. However, what brought it faster than expected was the political climate and the poor state of Turkey-U.S. relations, largely due to the treatment of pastor Andrew Brunson by Turkish … [Read more...] about What’s happening to Turkey’s economy?
SYRIZA government in Greece in trouble after poorly handling wildfires
The shock and anger that the Greek public is feeling is bad news for the government and their clumsy “damage control” isn't helping at all. It went bad from the start, and the general feeling is that the government was more interested in saving face than accepting responsibility for whatever mistakes might have been made. In the days after the fire, details that emerged showed … [Read more...] about SYRIZA government in Greece in trouble after poorly handling wildfires
Wildfires in Greece: a Greek perspective
On July 23, a fire started on Mount Penteli in Attica. Its outcome was deadly, with 90 dead so far, 187 injured, and according to the official figures, another 23 are missing. Greece is a country where wildfires are common; long, dry summers combined with high winds in late summer along with the evergreen trees, are a recipe for disaster. As far as conditions are … [Read more...] about Wildfires in Greece: a Greek perspective
Active measures target Greece
Greece has expelled two Russian diplomats and barred two more from entry. This comes as an answer to Russian meddling in the negotiations of the surrounding the Macedonian naming dispute. The result of the negotiations that the region will be recognized as Northern Macedonia, and Greece will lift its veto for the neighboring country's accession to the EU and NATO. The Russian … [Read more...] about Active measures target Greece
‘The Wild Bunch’: an epic western
The Western movie genre is one that I enjoy a great deal. When I saw Luke Ryan's article about "The Magnificent Seven" I thought I’d write one about of my favorite film in the genre. The film in question is the polar opposite of the adaptation of "Seven Samurai" by Akira Kurosawa, "The Magnificent Seven," a perfect yin-yang. The seven gunfighters led by Yul Brynner are on a … [Read more...] about ‘The Wild Bunch’: an epic western
Angela Merkel’s uncertain future
Last week the E.U. summit ended on a high note, producing an agreement that was going to put an end to the refugee crisis that has been rocking the EU. Today, the rejection of the deal by Horst Seehofer, Interior minister of Germany and leader of CSU (Christian Social Union), as inadequate, sends political shockwaves across Europe. Mr. Seehofer requested chancellor Merkel to … [Read more...] about Angela Merkel’s uncertain future
Erdogan won — now what?
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the winner of the Turkish elections, he will be the president of Turkey until 2023. Erdogan’s impact on shaping Turkey's political life is of such magnitude that one can only compare him to the founder of the modern Turkey state, Kemal Ataturk. Of course, the main difference between these two statesmen is that for Ataturk the Ottoman past of Turkey … [Read more...] about Erdogan won — now what?
A very Balkan story
As you are reading these lines, an agreement has been signed by Greece and FYROM that stipulates Greece will recognize FYROM with the name Northern Macedonia. The agreement has some hurdles yet to pass to become a reality, though. The search for a distinct identity and a past that allows claim to this piece of land or that piece of land is a very Balkan issue. Nationalism … [Read more...] about A very Balkan story
Your algorithm is bad and you should feel bad
On June 6th I was banned from Facebook for 30 days because I shared a photo of American paratroopers with a captured Nazi flag. Five minutes after the post, I was automatically disconnected from Facebook. My first reaction was, “they can't be that stupid”, but I attempted to log in again and discovered that Facebook's algorithm is indeed that idiotic; “your post violates our … [Read more...] about Your algorithm is bad and you should feel bad