Ralph Peters (b. 1952) is a retired United States Army Lieutenant Colonel, novelist and essayist. He has sometimes written under the nom-de-plume Owen Parry. Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ...

Early life and military career

Peters was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Schuylkill Haven. His father was a coal miner and unsuccessful businessman. Peters has written "I am a miner's son, and my father was a self-made man who unmade himself in my youth." Coordinates: , County Chartered as a City March 22, 1911 Government  - Mayor John D. W. Reiley Area  - City 10. ... Schuylkill Haven is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, four miles (6 km) south of Pottsville, in the United States. ... Surface coal mining in Wyoming. ...

Peters enlisted in the Army as a private, and spent ten years in Germany working in military intelligence. Years later, during the 2004 Killian documents controversy, Peters pointed out that in his front-line division in 1977, five years after the memos in question were allegedly written, only the general's secretary had an electric typewriter. It was, he says, too primitive to produce the documents in question, and moreover, National Guard units "…got the junk we didn't want." Military intelligence (abbreviated MI, int. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... One of the Killian documents. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

After returning from Germany, Peters attended Officer Candidate School and received his commission, eventually attending the Command and General Staff College, and still later graduated from the U.S. Army War College, in Carlisle, PA. His last assignment was to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence. He retired in 1998 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The United States Army Officer Candidate School (OCS) is a school located at Fort Benning, providing training to become a commissioned officer. ... The Command and General Staff College (C&GSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a United States Army facility that functions as a graduate school for U.S. military leaders. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ...

Peters has appeared on PBS, FOX News, CNN and other networks with commentary on military issues and current affairs. Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ... Fox News Channels slogan is We Report, You Decide The Fox News Channel is a U.S. cable and satellite news channel. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ...

Peters's first novel was Bravo Romeo, a spy thriller set in former West Germany. His novels progressed from futuristic scenarios involving the Red Army to contemporary terrorism and failed state issues. His characters are often presented as military mavericks who have the clairvoyance and courage to tackle problems others can't or won't. Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ... For other organizations known as the Red Army, see Red Army (disambiguation). ... Terrorist redirects here. ... Failed States according to the Failed States Index 2007 of Foreign Policy  Alert  Warning  Moderate  Sustainable  Not rated A failed state is a state whose central government is so weak or ineffective that it has little practical control over much of its territory. ...

His latest book is titled Wars of Blood and Faith: The Conflicts That Will Shape the 21st Century, and was released on July 15, 2007. is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Opinion on the Iraq war

Ralph Peters' solution to the Middle East crisis: re-draw the maps. From an article in 'Armed Forces Journal,' June 2006

Peters was a strong supporter of the 2003 invasion and ongoing war in Iraq. Defending the war from critics who claimed that Iraq was descending into civil war, he authored a March 5, 2006 piece in the New York Post entitled Dude, Where's My Civil War?, in which he wrote: Image File history File links Ralph_Peters_solution_to_Mideast. ... Image File history File links Ralph_Peters_solution_to_Mideast. ... This article is about the day. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and the oldest to have been published continually as a daily. ...

I'm looking for the civil war that The New York Times declared. And I just can't find it...The Iraqi Army has confounded its Western critics, performing extremely well last week. And the people trust their new army to an encouraging degree. ^[1] The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ...

Claims that Iraq was descending into civil war, he wrote, were the politically motivated claims of "irresponsible journalists" who have "staked their reputations on Iraq's failure", though six months later, in an interview with FrontPageMag.com magazine, He stated that: FrontPageMag. ...

civil war is closer than it was...The leaders squabble, the death squads rule the neighborhoods. ^[2]

While it would be "too early to walk away from Iraq", the fate of the country was threatened by the US's failure after the invasion to provide adequate troop levels to maintain order, as well as "the Arab genius for screwing things up."

On November 2, 2006, he wrote in USA Today: is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ...

Iraq is failing. No honest observer can conclude otherwise. Even six months ago, there was hope. Now the chances for a democratic, unified Iraq are dwindling fast ... Iraq could have turned out differently. It didn't. And we must be honest about it. We owe that much to our troops. They don't face the mere forfeiture of a few congressional seats but the loss of their lives. Our military is now being employed for political purposes. It's unworthy of our nation.^[3]

In this piece he also speculates that "only a military coup — which might come in the next few years — could hold the artificial country together" and that

[i]t appears that the cynics were right: Arab societies can't support democracy as we know it.

Following the 2006 US Congressional election, Peters wrote: Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The 2006 United States midterm elections were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. ...

It's going to be hard. The political aim of the Democrats will be to continue talking a good game while avoiding responsibility through '08. They'll send up bills they know Bush will veto. And they'll struggle to hide the infighting in their own ranks - Dem unity on this war is about as solid as the unity of Iraq. Now that they've won on the issue, the Dems would like Iraq to just go away. But it won't. And they've got to avoid looking weak on defense, so the military will get more money for personnel, at least. But we won't get a comprehensive plan to deal with Iraq or, for that matter, our global struggle with Islamist terrorists. No matter how many troops we send, we're bound to fail if the troops aren't allowed to fight - under the leadership of combat commanders, not politically attuned bureaucrats in uniform. At present, neither party's leaders want to face the truth about warfare - that it can't be done on the cheap and that war can't be waged without shedding blood. ^[4]

He recently suggested that the borders in the Middle East be redrawn as he suggests in the above map.

Ralph Peters recently wrote in the New York Post the the quadruple truck bomb attack in Iraq that killed reportedly 500 individuals was " a sign of al Qaeda's frustration, desperation and fear. " ^[5]

References

is the 81st day of the year (82nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Microsoft FrontPage is a WYSIWYG HTML editor and web site administration tool from Microsoft for the Windows operating system. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Novels

• Fiction
  • As Ralph Peters
    • Bravo Romeo - 1981 ISBN 0-399-90097-7
    • Red Army - 1989 ISBN 0-671-67668-7
    • The War in 2020 - 1991 ISBN 0-671-67670-9
    • The Perfect Soldier - 1995 ISBN 0-671-86583-8
    • The Devil's Garden - 1998 ISBN 0-380-97362-6
    • Twilight of Heroes - 1999 ISBN 0-8117-2690-8
    • Traitor - 1999 ISBN 0380976412
    • Flames of Heaven: A Novel of the end of the Soviet Union - 2003 ISBN 0-8117-2684-3

• As "Owen Parry" (A pseudonym used by Ralph Peters)
  • Abel Jones Series
    • Faded Coat of Blue - 2000 ISBN 0-380-97642-0
    • Shadows of Glory - 2000 ISBN 0-380-97643-9
    • Call Each River Jordan - 2001 ISBN 0-06-018638-0
    • Honor's Kingdom - 2002 ISBN 0060186348
    • Our simple gifts: Civil War Christmas tales - 2002 ISBN 0060013788
    • Bold Sons of Erin - 2003 ISBN 0-06-051390-X
    • Strike the harp!: American Christmas stories - 2004 ISBN 0-06-057236-1
    • Rebels of Babylon - 2005 ISBN 0-06-051392-6

Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Red Army is a military Cold War-era novel written by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Ralph Peters in 1989. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Nonfiction

Peters has authored numerous essays on strategy for military journals such as Parameters, Military Review, and Armed Forces Journal, reports for the US Marine Corps Center for Emerging Threats and Opportunities, writes a regular opinion column for the New York Post, and has written essays and columns for USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Newsweek, The Weekly Standard, The Washington Monthly and Army magazine. He has reported from Iraq, Israel, West Africa and other trouble spots, usually for the New York Post. Parameters is the quarterly journal of the U.S. Army War College. ... Armed Forces Journal (AFJ) is a monthly journal for military officers and thought leaders in government and industry, the people who set military policy and strategy for the nation. ... The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and the oldest to have been published continually as a daily. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is an international daily newspaper published by Dow Jones & Company in New York City, New York, USA, with Asian and European editions, and a worldwide daily circulation of more than 2 million as of 2006, with 931,000 paying online subscribers. ... The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C.. It is also one of the citys oldest papers, having been founded in 1877. ... The Newsweek logo Newsweek is a weekly news magazine published in New York City and distributed throughout the United States and internationally. ... The Weekly Standard is an American neoconservative [1] magazine published 48 times per year. ... The Washington Monthly is a monthly magazine of United States politics and government that is based in Washington, DC. Its founder is Charles Peters, who started the magazine in 1969 and continues to write columns occasionally. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

He has published six collections of his essays and columns entitled:

• Fighting for the Future: Will America Triumph? - 1999 ISBN 0-8117-0651-6
• Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World - 2002 ISBN 0-8117-0024-0
• Beyond Baghdad: Postmodern War and Peace - 2003 ISBN 0-8117-0084-4
• New Glory: Expanding America's Global Supremacy - 2005 ISBN 1-59523-011-4
• Never Quit the Fight - 2006 ISBN 0-8117-3328-9 978-0811702744
• Wars of Blood and Faith: The Conflicts That Will Shape the 21st Century - 2007 ISBN

He authored the article "Constant Conflict"^[6] which contains the controversial quote Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

There will be no peace. At any given moment for the rest of our lifetimes, there will be multiple conflicts in mutating forms around the globe. Violent conflict will dominate the headlines, but cultural and economic struggles will be steadier and ultimately more decisive. The de facto role of the US armed forces will be to keep the world safe for our economy and open to our cultural assault. To those ends, we will do a fair amount of killing.

External links

• [1] Plans for Redrawing the Middle East: The Project for a “New Middle East” (Centre for Research on Globalization)

• Constant Conflict

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Ralph Peters