Category Archives: War

Letter from the West Bank: Getting a child vaccinated

Posted on November 20, 2025 by odeboyz

Travelled first thing from Ramallah to Nablus but oh dear were delayed cos checkpoint not open so onto the next one and no one there (all Israeli soldiers absent) so onto next one queued for 35 minutes, onto next one … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, Health, Politics, Religion, War | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

War Studies: American Exceptionalism and war by other means: 2011 and 2025

Posted on November 19, 2025 by odeboyz

On May 2nd 2011,1 Obama watched Osama bin Laden being assassinated. Fourteen people watched the snuff movie with him, President Obama said, “Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Politics, War | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Latch Key Kid, Leeds, 1950s

Posted on November 12, 2025 by odeboyz

During the war my father worked brutal hours building bombers. He worked for 20 days and then had a day off. His shifts were 12 hours on, 12 off, which alternated every 20 days between days and nights. He made … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, History, War | Tagged , | Leave a comment

War Studies: Britain’s ‘White Feather’ Campaign 1914-16

Posted on October 1, 2025 by odeboyz

The declaration of war in August 1914 was popular because everyone knew Britain was unbeatable. They’d been fed a century of triumphs in colonial wars. Even the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade, 1854,was seen as a success….(a bit like … Continue reading →

Posted in History, War | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

War Studies: Britain’s Civil War (aka The Troubles), 1968-98

Posted on August 26, 2025 by odeboyz

The British civil war was centred in northern Ireland and later migrated to the mainland. Assassinations, atrocities, the breakdown of law and order, internment, loss of civil liberties and state repression occurred over 30 years. These techniques had failed when … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Politics, War | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Why weren’t Auschwitz’s railway lines bombed?

Posted on August 20, 2025 by odeboyz

In desperation, some Jewish leaders asked the Allies to bomb the railway lines  leading to the extermination camps and even Auschwitz itself. The response…was negative…In fact, Allied aircraft  were already flying over Auschwitz, bombing nearby industrial targets and dropping supplies … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Politics, War | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Winston Churchill in Casablanca, 1943

Posted on July 19, 2025 by odeboyz

“Hopkins meanwhile, had found Churchill in bed washing down his breakfast with a bottle of white wine. Asked what he meant by this. Churchill replied that he had a ‘profound distaste on the one hand for skimmed milk and no … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, Health, History, Politics, War | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Defining a terrorist organisation is interesting

Posted on July 16, 2025 by odeboyz

Proscribing Palestine Action makes them terrorists. This ‘feels’ wrong. Terrorists, like Hamas, slaughter and try to change governments by violence. On 7th October 2023, Hamas slaughtered 1200+ Israelis, provoking a war. In Britain, The Troubles, dominated daily life for forty … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Philosophy, Politics, War | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

War Studies: Falklands War, 1982 ~ The price of pride

Posted on June 4, 2025 by odeboyz

The Falkland Islands in 1982 had a dwindling, ageing population.1 Worse: they were of no economic or strategic importance for the UK. Falklanders were excluded from British citizenship in 1981 by Margaret Thatcher. She wanted to off-load them. Thatcher’s solution … Continue reading →

Posted in Finance, History, Politics, War | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

War Studies: Judaea 70-135 CE (AD)

Posted on May 21, 2025 by odeboyz

Colonial powers occupy countries without waiting for an invitation. Even though they are out-numbered, they succeed by using brute force. Key areas are garrisoned which are necessary. Unfortunately, garrisons become a focus for hostility and a cycle of violence. Once … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Religion, War | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment