War – Ben East Books

Hostage Crisis III and the Ghosts of Camelot

Oct 31, 2025

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in Books, Diplomacy, Foreign Affairs, Government Studies, history, Middle East, Nonfiction, Peace Corps, Politics, Profiles in Service, Travel, War, Washington

Metrinko was cleaned up and brought to meet Tehran’s Friday prayer leader Ali Khamenei. In the room were a camera crew and the SFIL spokesperson, Niloufar Ebtekar

Profile: Michael Metrinko

Oct 28, 2025

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Ben East

in Books, Diplomacy, Foreign Affairs, Government Studies, history, Middle East, Nonfiction, Peace Corps, Profiles in Service, Storytelling, Terrorism, Travel, War, Washington

Afghan Finance Minister Ghani steeped Metrinko and Peace Corps Director Vasquez in nostalgia from his years learning English and basketball with PCVs in Kabul

Profile: John Limbert

Oct 21, 2025

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Ben East

in Africa, Books, Diplomacy, Foreign Affairs, Government Studies, history, Identity, Middle East, Nonfiction, Peace Corps, Profiles in Service, Storytelling, Travel, War

Even after 5 months as a hostage John Limbert retained his identity as a diplomat, engaging Iran’s future Supreme Leader in language and custom Khamenei couldn’t ignore

Iran Hostage Crisis I

Oct 9, 2025

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Ben East

in Books, Diplomacy, Foreign Affairs, Government Studies, Middle East, Movies, Nonfiction, Peace Corps, Profiles in Service, Terrorism, War, Washington

Peace Corps Nepal in the 1960s could feel slow. Adapting to the boredom turned out to be good preparation for enduring 444 days of tedium as a hostage in Iran

A Spy of the Egyptian Spies

Sep 26, 2025

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Ben East

in Africa, Books, Conspiracies, Diplomacy, Egypt, Foreign Affairs, Government Studies, history, Nonfiction, Peace Corps, Profiles in Service, publishing, Saudi Arabia, Terrorism, War, Washington, Writing

Not your typical Peace Corps-to-Foreign Service path, this rendering of an ambassador’s tale twists amid my own fascination with the era’s social influences.

Profile: Franklin Pierce “Pancho” Huddle, Jr.

Sep 23, 2025

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Ben East

in Africa, Books, Diplomacy, Foreign Affairs, Government Studies, Non-Fiction, Peace Corps, Profiles in Service, publishing, Reading, Terrorism, Travel, War

Sketch profiling Ambassador Franklin Pierce “Pancho” Huddle, Jr. from a forthcoming nonfiction boook of profiles that explore Peace Corps roots in American diplomacy.

Navratri: Celebrating Good over Evil

Sep 22, 2025

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Ben East

in Holidays, India, War

Navratri celebrates the victory of good over evil. The Hindu goddess Durga defeats the demon Mahishasura during nine nights of epic war. Diwali begins 20 days later.