The Cynical Coverage of the USS Lincoln
In this essay for The Free Press, Elliot Ackerman examines coverage of conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during the Iran war and argues that military suicide and the strain...
The Veterans Who Become Novelists
Elliot Ackerman reflects on Karl Marlantes, war literature, memory, and the enduring relationship between storytelling and combat.
Met Gala 2026: Fashion, Style, and Celebrity Spectacle
In this humorous review of the 2026 Met Gala, Elliot Ackerman and Suzy Weiss examine the night's most memorable looks, from Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Kylie Jenner to Colman Domingo,...
Inside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
When gunshots rang out near the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Elliot Ackerman and his wife took cover beneath their table. What followed revealed just how exposed thousands of attendees had...
Is Trump Asking Troops to Commit War Crimes?
Drawing on his experience as a Marine officer in Iraq, Elliot Ackerman explores whether threats to target civilian infrastructure in Iran could force service members to confront difficult legal and...
The Case Against the War
Drawing on his experience as a Marine officer in Iraq, Elliot Ackerman examines the risks of regime change in Iran, the limits of military power, and the political consequences that...
Watching Future War Unfold
Elliot Ackerman examines Iran, future conflict, authoritarian alliances, and the geopolitical realities explored in 2034.
The ICE Shooter's Trauma Is No Defense
Following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, Elliot Ackerman examines the legal standard of objective reasonableness and argues that an officer's past trauma cannot redefine the rules governing the use...
A Man Should Know: How to Speak from the Heart
In the final installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman shares lessons on public speaking, storytelling, rehearsal, and why the most memorable remarks come from speaking honestly and from...
Trump Is Risking Another Forever War
In this Free Press essay, Elliot Ackerman reflects on the U.S. operation against Nicolás Maduro and warns that military success is often the easy part. Drawing on his experiences in...
A Man Should Know: How to Read
In this installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman reflects on his journey as a reader, the value of classic books, and why the most meaningful reading experiences often...
A Man Should Know: How to Wear a Tuxedo
In this installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman shares the lessons he learned about wearing a tuxedo, from bow ties and cuff links to the importance of dressing...
A Man Should Know: How to Host
In this installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman explores the art of hospitality, from hosting dinners and choosing venues to creating meaningful experiences that make guests feel welcome.
A Man Should Know: How to Propose
In this installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman explores the art of proposing, arguing that the most important part of a marriage proposal is not the spectacle but...
A Man Should Know: How to Travel
In this installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman offers practical travel advice, from packing and airport etiquette to the more important question of when it is better to...
Hegseth, the Law of War, and Fallujah
Drawing on his experience during the Second Battle of Fallujah, Elliot Ackerman explores the critical distinction between rules of engagement and the law of war. In this Free Press essay,...
I Served in the CIA’s Zero Units
Elliot Ackerman draws on his experience as a Marine and CIA paramilitary officer to explain the history of Afghanistan’s CIA-sponsored Zero Units and why the actions of one former member...
A Man Should Know: How to Say Thank You
In this installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman explores the art of expressing gratitude, arguing that a thoughtful thank-you note can deepen relationships and become a lasting reminder...
A Man Should Know: How to Form an Opinion
In this installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman reflects on the importance of intellectual curiosity, arguing that the best opinions are formed by understanding multiple perspectives and asking...
A Man Should Know: How to Own a Watch
In this installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman explores the value of owning a watch, arguing that meaningful possessions are shaped not by their price but by the...
A Man Should Know: How to Be a Friend
In this installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman explores the nature of male friendship, arguing that strong bonds are built through shared experiences, consistency, and showing up for...
A Man Should Know: How to Introduce Himself
In the first installment of A Man Should Know, Elliot Ackerman explores the overlooked skill of introducing yourself, arguing that meaningful relationships, opportunities, and understanding often begin with a handshake...
Pete Hegseth and Warrior Culture
Drawing on his experience as a Marine infantry officer in Iraq, Elliot Ackerman critiques Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s focus on military culture, arguing that successful leadership depends on competence, humility,...
How Being an Intelligence Officer Made Me a Better Writer
Elliot Ackerman reflects on intelligence work, fiction, special operations, and the experiences that shaped his novel Sheepdogs.
Do Not Mourn Me Dead
In this Memorial Day reflection, Elliot Ackerman revisits the moving final letter of Union officer Sullivan Ballou, drawing connections between America’s past wars and his own experiences in Iraq and...
Met Gala Fashion Police: Who's the Dandiest?
In this culture piece for The Free Press, Suzy Weiss and Elliot Ackerman review the 2025 Met Gala and its theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” The essay examines celebrity fashion,...
How to Dress Like a Gentleman—and Why
Drawing on lessons from the Marines, the CIA, and family mentors, Elliot Ackerman explores why style matters, the difference between fashion and craftsmanship, and how dressing with intention reflects confidence,...
The Danger Posed by Today's Angry Vets
In this essay for The Wall Street Journal, Elliot Ackerman examines how disillusioned veterans are reshaping American foreign policy around loyalty rather than ideals.
Why Does Pete Hegseth Keep Talking About ‘Warfighters’?
In this commentary for The Free Press, Elliot Ackerman analyzes Pete Hegseth’s vision for military leadership, arguing that the language of “warfighters” has been used to deepen divisions within the...
Bring Back the War Department
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman argues that renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War would do more than revive an old title. It would...
The U.S. Isn’t Ready for a Modern War
Drawing on lessons from World War II and observations from Ukraine, Elliot Ackerman argues that modern warfare rewards scalable production and rapid innovation as much as advanced technology. As low-cost...
The Abandonment of Ukraine
Following a visit to Ukraine alongside bipartisan members of Congress, Elliot Ackerman and Karl Marlantes examine the realities of the battlefield, the rapid pace of military innovation, and the consequences...
Hezbollah's Long War Is With America Too
Drawing on his experience as a Marine Corps officer during the 2006 evacuation of Lebanon, Elliot Ackerman reflects on Hezbollah, Iran, and the broader network of authoritarian powers challenging the...
Trump's Medal of Dishonor
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman reflects on Donald Trump's comments comparing the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the Medal of Honor. Drawing on his experience as a...
The Trump Campaign Has Peaked Too Soon
In this Atlantic essay, Elliot Ackerman uses military theory to analyze the 2024 presidential campaign. Drawing on the concept of the "culminating point" from Carl von Clausewitz, he argues that...
In Trump, I See a Combat Leader
Following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, Elliot Ackerman analyzes the former president’s reaction through the perspective of a Marine combat leader. Drawing on his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan,...
Lower the Volume
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman draws on his experiences as a Marine officer in Iraq to examine political violence, democratic responsibility, and the dangers of allowing politics...
The Two Marys
Elliot Ackerman reflects on political legitimacy, passion, and instability through the intertwined stories of Marie Antoinette and Mary Queen of Scots.
Happily Paying a Mouse's Ransom
In this essay for The Wall Street Journal's "About Face" column, Elliot Ackerman describes how a family trip to Walt Disney World changed his mind.
What It Means When the Mercenaries Appear
In this essay for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman traces the long history of private armies, from Rome to Russia's Wagner Group.
War-Gaming for Democracy
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman attends a political war game designed to simulate the first days of a second Trump administration. As participants explore scenarios involving militias,...
How Drone Swarms Will Change Military Power
In this essay for The Wall Street Journal, Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis argue that AI-directed drone swarms will reshape the global balance of military power.
The One Element Keeping Ukraine From Total Defeat
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman reviews Yaroslav Trofimov’s book Our Enemies Will Vanish, an account of Ukraine’s first year resisting Russia’s invasion. Ackerman examines the role of...
The Biden Administration's Slow Yes
In this TIME essay, Elliot Ackerman examines the strategic consequences of the Biden administration's gradual military support for Ukraine. He argues that delays in providing advanced weapons allowed Russia to...
Meet the Super SPAC
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman explores how the political organization No Labels has built a nationwide ballot-access infrastructure that could transform presidential elections. Drawing parallels to financial...
A Knife Fight in a Phone Booth
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman draws on his experience leading Marines during the Second Battle of Fallujah to explain the brutal realities of urban warfare. Comparing the...
A Memorial to the War on Terror
In this essay for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman describes the planned Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall.
Christopher Nolan’s Big Bang
In this review of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Elliot Ackerman examines the film’s portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the invention of the atomic bomb. Moving beyond cinema, Ackerman reflects on...
Prigozhin’s Loss Is Ukraine’s Gain
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman examines the fallout from Yevgeny Prigozhin’s failed rebellion and what the likely weakening of the Wagner Group means for Russia’s war in...
The Key to America’s Victory in the Second World War
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman revisits the work of legendary war correspondent Ernie Pyle through the reissue of Brave Men. Ackerman argues that Pyle understood a fundamental...
Notes From a Cemetery
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman shares an excerpt from Halcyon, exploring the relationship between personal memory, national remembrance, and the way societies honor their dead. Through a...
'The Secret Gate' Review: Kabul's Moral Maze
In this review for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman assesses Mitchell Zuckoff's "The Secret Gate," set during the Kabul evacuation.
Why Aren’t We Evacuating Americans From Sudan?
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman argues that the United States is departing from a long-standing tradition of evacuating American civilians trapped in conflict zones. Drawing on his...
More Weapons, Faster for Ukraine
In this TIME essay, Elliot Ackerman examines how battlefield initiative depends on timing as much as firepower. Drawing on military strategy and the evolving war in Ukraine, he argues that...
The Arsenal of Democracy Is Reopening for Business
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman visits Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Arkansas to examine how America’s defense-industrial base is responding to the demands of the war in Ukraine....
The Two Stalingrads
Elliot Ackerman explores how the legacy of Stalingrad belongs to both Russia and Ukraine, drawing on the work of Soviet war correspondent Vasily Grossman to examine history, identity, and the...
Ukraine's Winter Offensive Could Decide the War
In this TIME essay, Elliot Ackerman argues that time is a decisive battlefield dimension in Ukraine's war against Russia. Drawing on military experience and historical parallels, he explains why sustained...
The Next Afghan-Refugee Crisis Is Right Here in the U.S.
In this Atlantic essay, Elliot Ackerman warns that thousands of Afghan allies evacuated during the 2021 withdrawal could face deportation without congressional action. He explores the Afghan Adjustment Act, America’s...
World War III?
In this thought-provoking analysis, Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis explore four plausible scenarios that could lead to a third world war. From Russia and China to Iran, North Korea,...
Victory Brings Its Own Dangers
As Ukrainian forces reclaim territory from Russia, optimism grows about the war’s outcome. In this Atlantic essay, Elliot Ackerman explores a less discussed reality: victory can be as dangerous as...
The Rivalry That Defines America
Elliot Ackerman examines how lessons from Afghanistan continue to shape the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and Russia in Ukraine.
The Arsenal of Democracy Reopens
In this Atlantic essay, Elliot Ackerman explores how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine revealed a critical weakness in America’s national defense: its fragile supply chains. From semiconductor production and advanced manufacturing...
Our Narrative of Mass Shootings Is Killing Us
In the aftermath of Uvalde, Elliot Ackerman explores the role of storytelling, media coverage, and cultural narratives in shaping the phenomenon of mass shootings. Drawing on history, psychology, and lessons...
A Whole Age of Warfare Sank With the Moskva
After Ukraine sank Russia’s flagship Moskva with anti-ship missiles, Elliot Ackerman examines whether modern warfare has entered a new age. Through the lens of Marine Corps Force Design 2030, he...
Ukraine’s Lifeline
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman argues that Ukraine’s survival depends not only on weapons but on the logistics required to keep soldiers supplied and combat power sustained....
The Rhino of Kyiv
In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman meets acclaimed Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, whose film Rhino is touring international festivals while he serves in Ukraine’s territorial-defense forces. Through conversations...
Ukrainians Don't Blame Just Putin
Reporting from Lviv during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Elliot Ackerman examines how Ukrainian civilians, historians, entrepreneurs, and activists view Russian responsibility for the war. Through firsthand conversations, the essay explores...
Ukraine’s Three-to-One Advantage
Reporting from Ukraine, Elliot Ackerman explores the battlefield realities behind Ukraine’s early successes against Russia. Through conversations with a former U.S. Marine volunteer and Ukrainian defense leaders, he examines anti-armor...
NATO Pilots for Ukraine?
Drawing on military history, Elliot Ackerman examines how volunteer NATO pilots could reinforce Ukraine's air force, comparing the proposal to the Flying Tigers and Eagle Squadrons while exploring alternatives to...
The Last Person Who Believes in Intervention
In this essay for TIME, Elliot Ackerman examines Bernard-Henri Lévy's documentary The Will to See and explores the tension between internationalism and isolationism. Against the backdrop of Ukraine, Afghanistan, China,...
Vonnegut, PTSD, and 'Slaughterhouse-Five'
In this review for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman assesses Tom Roston's "The Writer's Crusade," on Kurt Vonnegut and "Slaughterhouse-Five."
More January 6ths Are Inevitable
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman explores the historical parallels between the Reichstag fire and the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, arguing that future episodes of political violence are...
Ask Us What We’ve Seen
In this Atlantic photo essay, Elliot Ackerman examines Adam Ferguson’s striking portraits of American service members in Afghanistan. Through conversations with veterans and reflections on his own military experience, Ackerman...
The Botched Afghanistan Withdrawal
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman examines the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, using Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller's viral video to explore military accountability, civil-military relations, and the growing...
We Abandoned Afghans on the Battlefield
In this essay for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman argues that America, not its Afghan allies, was the first to leave the battlefield.
The Plywood Army
In this Atlantic essay, Elliot Ackerman reflects on the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s military after the U.S. withdrawal. Drawing on his experience as a Marine officer and adviser to Afghan...
When the Military Doubts Our Elections
In this New York Times opinion essay, Elliot Ackerman explores the relationship between election legitimacy, political polarization, and the military's long tradition of remaining apolitical. Drawing on his experience as...
The Moral Catastrophe in Afghanistan
Elliot Ackerman examines the moral and strategic consequences of abandoning Afghan interpreters during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Yes, They Defended the Capitol
In this New York Times opinion essay, Elliot Ackerman reflects on military decorations, his experiences during Hurricane Katrina, and the deployment of National Guard troops following January 6. He argues...
America and Afghanistan’s Cynicism
In this Atlantic essay, Elliot Ackerman examines the role cynicism played in America’s relationship with Afghanistan. Drawing on his experiences as a Marine officer and father, he reflects on war,...
Afghanistan War Ends as It Began
In this New York Times opinion essay, Elliot Ackerman examines America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan through the lens of military history, personal experience, and conversations with Afghan leaders. Drawing parallels to...
The Next World War Won't Look Like the Last
In this essay for The Washington Post, James Stavridis and Elliot Ackerman argue the next world war will be fought unlike any before it.
How the U.S. Could Sleepwalk into War
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis explore the growing strategic rivalry between the United States and China, warning that miscalculation in the South China Sea or Taiwan...
My Veteran Problem
In this New York Times essay, Elliot Ackerman examines his instinct to defend the image of American veterans after the Capitol riot and the release of Cherry. Drawing on his...
Why the Capitol Riot Reminded Me of War
In this New York Times opinion essay, Elliot Ackerman draws on his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan to explain why footage of the January 6 Capitol attack felt hauntingly familiar....
The Afghan War Is Over. Did Anyone Notice?
In this opinion essay for The New York Times, Elliot Ackerman argues that America must rethink what it means for the war in Afghanistan to be over. Drawing on the...
My Fellow Veterans Reminded Me What This Election Was About
In this New York Times opinion essay, Elliot Ackerman draws on his experience as a Marine Corps veteran to examine leadership, service, and the 2020 election. Through conversations with fellow...
American Exceptionalism and Unrest
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman draws on his experience advising Afghan commandos and reporting from Syria to argue that American exceptionalism can blind us to the warning signs of democratic...
Can We Escape the Political-Industrial Complex?
In this New York Times opinion essay, Elliot Ackerman argues that America has become trapped in a self-perpetuating political-industrial complex that rewards division over solutions. Drawing on President Dwight D....
Confront Our Past, Not Bury It
Drawing lessons from Germany's confrontation with far-right extremism in the Bundeswehr, Elliot Ackerman argues that America's military should study its full history, including its darkest chapters, rather than erase them....
The Confederate Monuments We Shouldn't
Elliot Ackerman argues that while Confederate statues in public spaces may be removed, military cemeteries and historic battlefields should remain places of remembrance. Reflecting on Arlington National Cemetery, Gettysburg, and...
The Police Will Be Part of the Solution, Too
Following the killing of George Floyd, Elliot Ackerman draws on military history, Vietnam, My Lai, and his own combat experience to argue that meaningful police reform depends not only on...
There Are No Flag-Draped Coffins
As COVID-19 spread through veterans' homes across America, Elliot Ackerman reflects on military service, the nation's covenant with veterans, and the responsibility to care for those who once "loaned" their...
COVID-19 Is Not a War
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman examines the ethical differences between military service and frontline medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that healthcare workers should not be viewed simply as...
After Our Nation Grieves, It Can Grow
Drawing on his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, Elliot Ackerman explores the parallels between war and the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that while national trauma inevitably brings grief, it can also...
There Is an Antidote to Our Fear
Drawing on his experiences as a Marine officer during the Battle of Falluja, Elliot Ackerman argues that true wartime leadership demands honesty, courage, and faith in those being led. Writing...
A New Language of War
Elliot Ackerman argues that America must rethink how it discusses war, military service, and national security. Writing during the 2020 presidential campaign, he explores congressional war powers, the burdens of...
Imagining Peace in Afghanistan
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman reflects on his service in Iraq and Afghanistan, arguing that peace in Afghanistan depends not only on negotiations, but on the willingness of all sides...
War With Iran Will Continue
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman argues that the death of Qassem Soleimani did not begin a new conflict with Iran, but marked another chapter in a decades-long shadow war fought...
Who Bears the Blame for Afghanistan?
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman reflects on the release of the Afghanistan Papers, arguing that the greatest failure of America's longest war was not simply government deception, but the public's...
Missions and Mythmaking From a Navy SEAL
In this review for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman assesses Adm. William McRaven's memoir "Sea Stories," weighing its truth against its mythmaking.
Trump's Military Pardons
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman examines President Trump's pardons of Clint Lorance, Mathew Golsteyn, and Edward Gallagher, arguing that discipline, not impunity, gives soldiers the confidence to fight within the...
'Dad's Maybe Book' Review: A Veteran of Life
In this review for The Wall Street Journal, Elliot Ackerman assesses Tim O'Brien's "Dad's Maybe Book," written for the novelist's two young sons.
Bring Back the Draft
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman proposes a modern, reverse-engineered draft that would reconnect Americans to the costs of war, strengthen civic responsibility, and make it politically harder to wage endless...
A Generation Born Into Forever War
Writing for TIME, Elliot Ackerman visits Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island to meet recruits born after 9/11, examining what it means to volunteer for a war older than the...
Trump Betrays an Ally at the Border
In this opinion essay for The New York Times, Elliot Ackerman examines President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. forces from northern Syria and the consequences for Kurdish allies. Drawing...
What We Owe Afghanistan
In this essay for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman argues that both America and Afghanistan carry unmet obligations to each other as peace talks with the Taliban falter.
The Volunteer Who Entered Auschwitz
Elliot Ackerman speaks with author Jack Fairweather about the extraordinary true story of Witold Pilecki, the Polish resistance fighter who deliberately entered Auschwitz to organize resistance, document Nazi atrocities, and...
The Fight Over Trump's July 4 Parade
Elliot Ackerman examines the debate surrounding President Trump's 2019 Fourth of July "Salute to America," arguing that America's strength lies not in unanimity, but in its long tradition of spirited...
A Battle in Falluja, Revisited
In this New York Times opinion essay, Elliot Ackerman revisits the Second Battle of Fallujah through the lens of his Silver Star citation and deeply personal recollections. Juxtaposing official military...
Delusions of a Soldier, and an Army
In this review for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman assesses "American Cipher: Bowe Bergdahl and the U.S. Tragedy in Afghanistan," by Matt Farwell and Michael Ames.
Troops Coming Home Rarely Means Victory
In this essay for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman argues that troop withdrawals, like Trump's from Syria and Afghanistan, more often signal a war lost than won.
Even a War Hero Is Not Above the Law
In this New York Times opinion essay, Elliot Ackerman argues that battlefield valor cannot excuse violations of the laws of armed conflict. Drawing on his own service in Iraq and...
Two Unfinished Wars, Thrill and Horror
In this review for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman assesses C.J. Chivers's "The Fighters: Americans in Combat in Afghanistan and Iraq."
NATO's Flaws Won't Yield to Bullying
In this essay for The Washington Post, Elliot Ackerman argues that NATO's real flaws, drawn from his own combat experience, won't be solved by Trump's public shaming of allies.
Arlington’s Sacred Ground
In this New York Times opinion essay, Elliot Ackerman explores what truly makes Arlington National Cemetery sacred. Through memories of friends lost in Iraq and Afghanistan, he argues that Arlington's...
What Our Generation Learned in War
In this Memorial Day essay, Elliot Ackerman argues that the greatest lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan are not tactical but societal. He examines the widening civil-military divide, the costs of...
Tim O'Brien on Ken Burns' Vietnam War
Elliot Ackerman speaks with acclaimed author Tim O'Brien about Ken Burns' documentary The Vietnam War, exploring the history of the conflict, the nature of memory, writing about combat, and why...
Screen Shot
Following the Marines United scandal, Elliot Ackerman explores how online abuse, leadership failures, and institutional culture combined to produce one of the most significant ethical crises in the modern U.S....
How Denis Johnson Chased the Epic Novel
Elliot Ackerman remembers Denis Johnson through two of his greatest works, Tree of Smoke and Train Dreams, examining how Johnson pursued the epic American novel through vastly different styles while...
Goodbye, My Brother
In this original Esquire essay, Elliot Ackerman returns to Iraq twelve years after the Second Battle of Fallujah to confront the places, memories, and losses that never left him. Blending...
Dark at the Crossing Excerpt
Read an exclusive excerpt from Dark at the Crossing, Elliot Ackerman's award-winning novel set along the Turkish-Syrian border. Through Haris and Daphne, this scene captures the human cost of war,...
Russia Through Turks' Eyes
Following the assassination of Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov in Ankara, Elliot Ackerman explores the intersection of terrorism, Turkish-Russian relations, the Syrian civil war, and the dangers of geopolitical escalation in...
Erdoğan Strikes Turkey's Last Opposition
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman examines President Erdoğan's crackdown on Turkey's last credible opposition.
What to Make of Military Endorsements
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman examines dueling letters of retired military officers endorsing Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
Atatürk vs. Erdoğan: Turkey's Long Struggle
In this essay for The New Yorker, written after the July 2016 coup attempt, Elliot Ackerman examines the long struggle between Atatürk's secular Turkey and Erdoğan's Turkey.
The Arrivals Hall at Atatürk Airport
In this essay for The New Yorker, written a day after the bombing at Istanbul's Atatürk Airport, Elliot Ackerman reflects on the attack and its aftermath.
Why Trump Was Wrong About the Troops
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman responds to Donald Trump's suggestion that U.S. soldiers profited from Iraq reconstruction funds.
A Turkish Film About Fear and Power
Elliot Ackerman reflects on the award-winning Turkish film Ivy (Sarmaşık), drawing parallels between its portrayal of fear and authoritarian leadership and the political climates of Turkey and the United States.
What Real War With ISIS Would Mean
In the aftermath of the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks, Elliot Ackerman reflects on the costs of war, the challenge posed by ISIS's territorial ambitions, and what a true military campaign...
Am I Safe in Turkey?
Following the 2015 Ankara bombing, Elliot Ackerman examines how terrorism, war, and everyday violence shape our understanding of security. Blending personal experience as a Marine veteran and father living in...
Safety Is Relative
After the deadliest terrorist attack in modern Turkish history, Elliot Ackerman examines how societies perceive risk, why violence shapes our sense of security, and the illusion of absolute safety in...
Erdoğan's ISIS Opportunism
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman examines how Erdoğan's A.K.P. has used the war against ISIS to try to marginalize Turkey's Kurds.
The Story of the Story at Tal Abyad
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman reflects on the media scene at the Turkish-Syrian border after Tal Abyad fell from ISIS control.
Justice, In and Out of Uniform
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman examines why David Petraeus, Jeffrey Sterling, and the Blackwater contractors received such different sentences.
A True Story of the Syrian Civil War
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman attends a private Istanbul screening of "The Cow Farm," a documentary about a Syrian regime soldier.
Draft the Rich
Drawing on personal experience and the long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Elliot Ackerman proposes a provocative idea: a limited draft of America's wealthiest citizens to reconnect the nation with...
How the Longest War Ate Its Children
In this The Daily Beast feature, novelist Atticus Lish introduces an excerpt from Elliot Ackerman’s debut novel, Green on Blue, a work of literary fiction that portrays the war in...
The U.S. Friendship with the Kurds
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman visits Erbil and reflects on the complicated friendship between the U.S. and the Kurds against ISIS.
Assassination and the American Language
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman reflects on the language America uses to describe drone strikes and targeted killing.
Eight Men, and One Gun, on the Iraqi Front
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman visits a peshmerga front-line position near Makmour, Iraq, held by eight men and one machine gun.
I Shot Bin Laden
In this work of fiction for The Daily Beast, Elliot Ackerman imagines the perspective of the Navy SEAL who kills Osama bin Laden and then struggles with the strange, bodily,...
No Man's Land Review
In this essay for The New Republic, Elliot Ackerman reviews Elizabeth Samet’s No Man’s Land and expands the book’s argument into a broader reflection on military education, leadership, and creativity....
Pictures from My War
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman reflects on two photographs that bookend his experience of the Iraq War.
Watching ISIS Come to Power Again
Drawing on firsthand experience at the Turkish-Syrian border, Elliot Ackerman recounts witnessing the early rise of ISIS through the stories of refugees and survivors. The essay explores extremism, intervention, and...
ISIS Strategy Years in the Making
Published in The New Republic during the Islamic State's rapid advance across Iraq in 2014, Elliot Ackerman argues that ISIS was pursuing a deliberate insurgent strategy rooted in principles outlined...
Waiting Out the Afghan War
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman reflects on the Afghan war's lack of a defined strategy after the death of Major General Harold Greene.
Syria's War Poets
In Gaziantep, Turkey, Elliot Ackerman meets two Syrian refugee poets whose lives and work have been shaped by revolution, exile, and civil war. Through poetry, activism, and personal sacrifice, they...
Four Hundred Grand
In this short story, Elliot Ackerman examines the emotional aftermath of war through the unraveling marriage of a young Marine and his wife after the death of a fellow soldier....
Watching ISIS Flourish Where We Once Fought
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman reflects on his friendship with a Syrian activist and the power vacuum that let ISIS rise.
The Wounds Caused by Friendly Fire
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman reflects on friendly fire, a death he witnessed in Fallujah, and the story of Pat Tillman.
Apathetic Teenagers and the Apocalypse
Elliot Ackerman reviews Maxwell Neely-Cohen's debut novel Echo of the Boom, exploring how privilege, technology, and youthful apathy converge in a dystopian vision of the modern apocalypse.
Bowe Bergdahl Haunted Us All
Published in The New Republic following the release of Bowe Bergdahl in 2014, Elliot Ackerman examines the controversy through the perspective of those who served in Afghanistan. Drawing on his...
A Black Flag and a Rainbow Flag
In this essay for The New Yorker, Elliot Ackerman attends Istanbul's trans-pride march amid the rise of ISIS and the aftermath of Gezi Park.
Bravery on the Streets of Fallujah
Published in The New Republic for Memorial Day, Elliot Ackerman recalls the Second Battle of Fallujah through the extraordinary actions of Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Shane, who risked his life to...
War Nostalgia and the Road Back
Through the story of missing journalist and Marine veteran Austin Tice, Elliot Ackerman explores why some veterans are drawn back to conflict zones, examining war nostalgia, identity, memory, and the...
A Man to Believe In
Following the death of Marine Master Sergeant Aaron Torian in Afghanistan, Elliot Ackerman delivered this deeply personal eulogy at Arlington National Cemetery, reflecting on friendship, leadership, service, family, and the...
Can Joyce Carol Oates Write a War Novel?
Elliot Ackerman reviews Joyce Carol Oates's novel Carthage, exploring what defines a true war novel, why authenticity matters, and how authority, rather than military experience alone, shapes enduring literature about...
The Fourth War: My Lunch with a Jihadi
In this deeply personal essay, Elliot Ackerman meets a former al-Qaeda operative he once fought against in Iraq. Over tea and lunch in a Syrian refugee camp on the Turkish...
Was Fallujah Worth It?
After ISIS swept through parts of Anbar Province, Elliot Ackerman revisits one of the defining days of the Battle of Fallujah. Through the memory of a rooftop firefight and the...
The Case for Female SEALs
In this Atlantic essay, Elliot Ackerman examines military gender integration and argues that elite special operations units may provide the strongest foundation for women seeking combat leadership roles. Drawing on...
Greg Baxter's The Apartment Review
Elliot Ackerman reviews Greg Baxter's The Apartment, praising its restrained storytelling and nuanced depiction of a veteran navigating memory, identity, and life in an unnamed European city. Rather than relying...