{{Short description|American military officer and author (born 1952)}} {{about|the military officer, novelist and essayist|the president of the Long Island Rail Road|Ralph Peters (LIRR)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox person | name = Ralph Peters | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1952|04|19}} | birth_place = [[Pottsville, Pennsylvania]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | education = [[Pennsylvania State University]] | alma_mater = [[St. Mary's University, Texas]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])<ref>{{cite book|title=Looking for Trouble: Adventures in a Broken World|author=Ralph Peters|year=2010|page=246|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JhCX2nfxozcC&q=Saint+Mary%27s+University+ralph+peters&pg=PA246|publisher=[[Stackpole Books]]|isbn=978-0811706896}}</ref> | occupation = Former U.S. Army officer, military analyst, writer | political_party = [[Independent (voter)|Independent]] | spouse = {{plainlist| * Janice Stickler (divorced) * Marion Ann Martin (divorced)<br />{{marriage|Katherine McIntire|June 4, 1994|}} }} | parents = Ralph Heinrich Peters<br />Alice Catherine (née Parfitt) Peters }} '''Ralph Peters''' (born April 19, 1952) is a retired [[United States Army]] [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]] and author.
In addition to his non-fiction books, he has published eight novels under the pen name '''Owen Parry''', including ''Honor's Kingdom'', which was awarded the [[Hammett Prize]]. Three of his novels published as Ralph Peters received the [[W. Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction]].
==Early life and education== Peters was born in [[Pottsville, Pennsylvania]], and grew up in nearby [[Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania|Schuylkill Haven]]. He is of [[German Americans|German]] and [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] descent on his father's side, and [[Welsh Americans|Welsh]] and [[Methodism|Methodist]] descent on his mother's. His father was a [[coal mining|coal miner]] and businessman.
His wife, Katherine McIntire Peters, is the deputy editor of ''[[Government Executive]]'', a division of [[Atlantic Media]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.govexec.com/voices/katherine-mcintire-peters/2208/ |title=Voices: Katherine McIntire Peters |publisher=GovExec.com |date=August 21, 2012 |access-date=August 15, 2014}}</ref>
==Career== ===Military=== Peters enlisted in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] in 1976 following his graduation from [[Pennsylvania State University]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5690865/Soldier-writer-speaker-Ralph-Peters.html|title=Soldier writer speaker: Ralph Peters brings to the National Convention a wealth of on-the-ground experience and incisive opinions.|access-date=August 4, 2008|date=July 1, 2006|work=[[Reserve Officers Association|The Officer]] |quote=After graduating from Penn State University, he enlisted, at age 23, as a private with two flat feet, curved spine, and intermittent asthma.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv-radio/2018/03/21/Fox-News-commentator-analyst-ralph-peters-leaving-email-tv-trump/stories/201803210145|title=Fox News analyst saves his most searing commentary for Fox News.|access-date=August 19, 2018|date=March 21, 2018|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |quote=He had enlisted after graduating from Penn State in 1976.}}</ref>
Peters' first assignment was in Germany. After returning from Germany, he attended [[Officer Candidate School (U.S. Army)|Officer Candidate School]] and received a commission in 1980.<ref name=BookTV2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.c-span.org/video/?280144-1/depth-ralph-peters|title=In Depth with Ralph Peters 280144-1|access-date=August 4, 2008|date=August 3, 2008|work=C-SPAN Video Library}}</ref><ref name=ContemporaryAuthors>Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2008. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC Document Number: H1000113025 Retrieved August 4, 2008. Revised 2006-08-31. Fee.</ref> He served with [[46th Infantry Regiment (United States)|1st Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment]], then part of the [[1st Armored Division (United States)|1st Armored Division]].<ref name=1Bn46thInfHist>{{cite web|url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/inf/0046in001bn.htm|title=1st Battalion, 46th Infantry|access-date=August 4, 2008|date=January 12, 2005|work=Lineage and Honors Information|publisher=[[United States Army Center of Military History]]|archive-date=May 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080523181823/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/inf/0046in001bn.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Peters spent ten years in Germany working in [[Military Intelligence Corps (United States Army)|military intelligence]], and was later appointed a [[Foreign Area Officer]], where he specialized in the [[Soviet Union]]. He attended the [[Command and General Staff College]]. His last assignment was in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence. He retired in 1998 as a lieutenant colonel, following 22 years of military service.
===Author=== Peters's first novel, ''Bravo Romeo'', a [[espionage|spy]] thriller set in [[West Germany]], was published in 1981. His subsequent novels progressed from futuristic scenarios involving the [[Soviet Army]] to themes such as contemporary terrorism and [[failed state]] issues. His protagonists are often presented as military [[wikt:maverick|mavericks]] who have the knowledge and courage to tackle problems others cannot or will not. In 2008, he published the memoir ''Looking for Trouble: Adventures in a Broken World''. His novel ''The War After Armageddon'' was released in 2009. He is a regular contributor to the military history website ''[[Armchair General (magazine)|Armchair General]]'' and also serves on its advisory board.<ref>{{cite web|title=Advisory Board|url=http://www.armchairgeneral.com/the-acg-advisory-board.htm|publisher=Armchair General}}</ref>
Peters has also written a number of historical war novels about the [[American Civil War]] that have been well received and recognized with the Hammett Prize and the W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction.
He has published numerous essays on strategy in military journals such as ''[[Parameters (journal)|Parameters]]'', ''[[Military Review]]'', and ''[[Armed Forces Journal]]'', as well as reports for the [[United States Marine Corps]] (see [https://www.mcwl.quantico.usmc.mil/ceto.cfm Center for Emerging Threats and Opportunities]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}). Peters formerly wrote a regular opinion column for the ''[[New York Post]]'' and has written essays and guest columns for ''[[USA Today]]'', ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', ''[[The Washington Post]]'', ''[[Newsweek]]'', ''[[The Weekly Standard]]'', ''[[The Washington Monthly]]'', and ''[[Association of the United States Army|Army]]'' magazine. He is a member of the Board of Contributors for ''USA Today'''s Forum Page, part of the newspaper's Opinion section.
==Views==
===Iraq War=== Peters strongly supported the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]] and the ensuing [[Iraq War]]. In July 2017, Fox News host [[Tucker Carlson]] told Peters: "I would hate to go back and read your columns assuring America that taking out [[Saddam Hussein]] will make the region calmer, more peaceful, and America safer when, in fact, it has done exactly the opposite, and it has empowered Russia and Iran, the two countries you say you fear most."<ref name="interview">{{cite news |title=Tucker Carlson interview goes sideways when guest accuses him of defending Putin |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/tucker-carlson-putin-hitler-ralph-peters-interview-fox-news-2017-7 |work=Business Insider|first=David|last=Choi |date=July 12, 2017}}</ref>
===Afghanistan=== In February 2009, Peters called for U.S. troops to be pulled out of [[Afghanistan]], writing, "we've mired ourselves by attempting to modernize a society that doesn't want to be – and cannot be – transformed." He continued, "We needed to smash our enemies and leave. Had it proved necessary, we could have returned later for another punitive mission. Instead, we fell into the great American fallacy of believing ourselves responsible for helping those who've harmed us."<ref>[https://archive.today/20090226182825/http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/02/the-mendacity-o.html "The mendacity of hope"], Ralph Peters, ''USA Today'', February 24, 2009</ref>
====Bowe Bergdahl==== Peters expressed sympathy for [[POW]] Sergeant [[Bowe Bergdahl]]'s family, but speculated ([[Fox News]], July 19, 2009) that Bergdahl might be "an apparent deserter ... if he walked away from his post and his buddies in wartime – I don't care how hard it sounds – as far as I'm concerned the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills." He characterized Bergdahl's description (in the [[Taliban]] produced video) of U.S. military behavior in Afghanistan as [[collaborationism|collaboration with the enemy]], even if coerced.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Raw Story]] |url=http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/20/fox-analyst-captured-us-soldier-collaborating/ |title=Fox analyst: Taliban should kill US soldier if he deserted |date=July 20, 2009 |first1=David|last1=Edwards|first2=Daniel|last2=Tencer |access-date=August 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724143556/http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/20/fox-analyst-captured-us-soldier-collaborating/ |archive-date=July 24, 2009 }}</ref> Peters hoped Bergdahl would be reunited with his family, but argued that the US media had glorified one captured soldier who Peters claimed had shamed his unit and lied, while ignoring genuine heroes and casualties (''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]'', July 21).<ref>''The Enterprise'': [http://www.enterprisenews.com/archive/x409292228/Editorial-Rep-Massa-was-right-POW-deserves-our-support Rep. Massa was right – POW deserves our support.] July 30, 2009.</ref>
===Donald Rumsfeld=== In 2011, Peters criticized former Defense Secretary [[Donald Rumsfeld]], saying: "I am allergic to Rumsfeld. We did a great thing in Iraq, but we did it very badly. He is an extremely talented man but he has the tragic flaw of hubris. His arrogance is unbearable. My friends in uniform just hate him."<ref>{{cite news|title=Neocons join the lynch mob for 'arrogant' Rumsfeld|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article396480.ece|date=February 2, 2011|work=Times Online|access-date=February 2, 2011|location=London|first1=Sarah|last1=Baxter|first2=New|last2=York|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818080526/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article396480.ece|archive-date=August 18, 2007|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
===Obama foreign policy=== During [[Stuart Varney]]'s [[Fox Business Network]] show on December 7, 2015, Peters referred to President [[Barack Obama]] as a "total pussy", leading Fox News to suspend him for two weeks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/12/07/media/fox-profanities-against-obama/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208104424/http://money.cnn.com/2015/12/07/media/fox-profanities-against-obama/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 8, 2015|title=Fox News suspends two commentators for profanity while criticizing Obama|work=CNN Business|first=Brian|last=Stelter|date=December 7, 2015}}</ref>
===Russia=== In July 2017, Peters said that Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] "is comparable" to [[Adolf Hitler]]. "He hates America. He wants to hurt us. ... Russia is evil. Russia is our enemy."<ref name="interview"/>
===Israel=== Peters praised President [[Donald Trump]] for his decision to [[United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel|recognize Jerusalem]] as Israel's capital.<ref>{{cite news |title=Peters on Jerusalem Decision: Sometimes You Have to Do the Right Thing & 'Damn the Consequences' |url=https://insider.foxnews.com/2017/12/06/ralph-peters-president-trump-recognizing-jerusalem-israeli-capital |work=Fox News |date=December 6, 2017}}</ref>
===Fox News=== In March 2018, Peters publicly quit his role as an expert commentator on [[Fox News]]. In his farewell letter to colleagues, he wrote: <blockquote> Four decades ago, I took an oath as a newly commissioned officer. I swore to "support and defend the Constitution," and that oath did not expire when I took off my uniform. Today, I feel that Fox News is assaulting our constitutional order and the rule of law, while fostering corrosive and unjustified paranoia among viewers. Over my decade with Fox, I long was proud of the association. Now I am ashamed.<ref>{{cite web|last=Namako|first=Tom|date=2018-03-20|title=An "Ashamed" Fox News Commentator Just Quit The "Propaganda Machine"|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/tomnamako/ralph-peters|access-date=20 March 2018|publisher=Buzzfeed}}</ref> </blockquote>In the same letter, he also called the Trump administration "ethically ruinous" and accused Fox News of "harming our system of government for profit",<ref>{{Cite news|last=Grynbaum|first=Michael M.|date=2018-03-20|title=Fox News Analyst Quits, Calling Network a 'Propaganda Machine'|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/business/media/fox-news-analyst-ralph-peters.html|access-date=2020-06-18|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> calling the network a "propaganda machine" for the Trump administration.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ralph-peters-quits-fox-news-trump-2018-3?r=US&IR=T|title=A Fox News contributor quit the network, calling it a 'propaganda machine for a destructive and ethically ruinous administration'|work=Business Insider|first=Eliza|last=Relman|access-date=2018-03-20|language=en}}</ref> On ''[[Anderson Cooper 360°]]'', Peters likened Trump's behavior to [[sedition]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/10/01/ralph-peters-trump-impeachment-inquiry-sot-ac360-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/this-week-in-politics |title=Ralph Peters: Trump must keep 'throne' to avoid prison |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=October 1, 2019 |website=cnn.com |access-date=October 1, 2019}}</ref>
==Awards== In 2013, Peters was named as the recipient of the [[W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction]] from the [[American Library Association]] for his novel ''Cain at Gettysburg''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/wy-boyd-literary-award-excellence-military-fiction|title=W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction|work=ala.org|date=December 31, 2023 }}</ref> He received the award again in 2014 for ''Hell or Richmond''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2014/04/hell-or-richmond-ralph-peters-wins-2014-wy-boyd-award |title='Hell or Richmond' by Ralph Peters wins the 2014 W.Y. Boyd Award | News & Press Center |publisher=Ala.org |date=April 29, 2014 |access-date=May 28, 2014}}</ref> and in 2016 for ''Valley of the Shadow''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2016/05/valley-shadow-wins-wy-boyd-award-excellence-military-fiction|title='Valley of the Shadow' wins W.Y. Boyd Award for excellence in military fiction|last=Malden|first=Cheryl|date=May 10, 2016}}</ref> and in 2020 for ''Darkness at Chancellorsville''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/wy-boyd-literary-award-excellence-military-fiction|title=W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction | Awards & Grants|website=www.ala.org|date=December 31, 2023 }}</ref>
In 2002, he received the [[Hammett Prize]] from the International Association of Crime Writers, North American Branch (IACW/NA) for ''Honor's Kingdom''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crimewritersna.org/hammett/past.htm|title=IACW/NA: Hammett Prize: Past Years|first=Mary Frisque and Lisa|last=Sciandra|access-date=August 3, 2016|archive-date=March 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304013007/http://www.crimewritersna.org/hammett/past.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Bibliography==
===Novels=== * As Ralph Peters ** ''Bravo Romeo'' – 1981 {{ISBN|978-0399900976}} ** ''[[Red Army (novel)|Red Army]]'' – 1989 {{ISBN|978-0671676681}} ** ''[[The War in 2020]]'' – 1991 {{ISBN|0671676709}} ** ''Flames of Heaven: A Novel of the End of the Soviet Union'' – 1993 {{ISBN|0671737384}} ** ''The Perfect Soldier'' – 1995 {{ISBN|0671865838}} ** ''Twilight of Heroes'' – 1997 {{ISBN|9780380788989}} ** ''The Devil's Garden'' – 1998 {{ISBN|978-0811731065}} ** ''Traitor'' – 1999 {{ISBN|0380976412}} ** ''The War After Armageddon'' – 2009 {{ISBN|978-0765323552}} ** ''The Officers' Club'' – 2011 {{ISBN|978-0765326805}} ** ''Cain at Gettysburg'' – 2012 {{ISBN|978-0765330475}} ** ''Hell or Richmond'' – 2013 {{ISBN|978-0765330482}} ** ''Valley of the Shadow'' – 2015 {{ISBN|978-0765374035}} ** ''The Damned of Petersburg'' – 2016 {{ISBN|978-0765374066}} ** ''Judgment at Appomattox'' – 2017 {{ISBN|0765381702}} ** ''Darkness at Chancellorsville: A Novel of Stonewall Jackson's Triumph and Tragedy'' – 2019 {{ISBN|0765381737}} * As Owen Parry ** ''Faded Coat of Blue'' – 1999 {{ISBN|978-0380976423}}; {{OCLC|41035507}} ** ''Shadows of Glory'' – 2000 {{ISBN|978-0380976430}}; {{OCLC|44949833}} ** ''Call Each River Jordan'' – 2001 {{ISBN|978-0060186388}}; {{OCLC|48754087}} ** ''Honor's Kingdom'' – 2002 {{ISBN|978-0060186340}}; {{OCLC|48613435}} ** ''The Bold Sons of Erin'' – 2003 {{ISBN|978-0060513900}}; {{OCLC|52041095}} ** ''Our Simple Gifts: Civil War Christmas Tales'' – 2004 {{ISBN|978-0060013783}}; {{OCLC|49699128}} ** ''Strike the Harp!: American Christmas Stories'' – 2004 {{ISBN|978-0060572365}}; {{OCLC|54529066}} ** ''The Rebels of Babylon: a Novel'' – 2005 {{ISBN|978-0060513924}}; {{OCLC|56068791}} * As Robert Paston ** ''The Hour of the Innocents'' – 2014 {{ISBN|978-0765326812}}
===Nonfiction=== * ''Fighting for the Future: Will America Triumph?'' – 1999 {{ISBN|0811706516}} * ''Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World'' – 2002 {{ISBN|0811700240}} * ''Beyond Baghdad: Postmodern War and Peace'' – 2003 {{ISBN|0811700844}} * ''New Glory: Expanding America's Global Supremacy'' – 2005 {{ISBN|1595230114}} * ''Never Quit the Fight'' – 2006 {{ISBN|978-0811702744}} * ''Wars of Blood and Faith: The Conflicts That Will Shape the 21st Century'' – 2007 {{ISBN|081170274X}} * ''Looking For Trouble: Adventures in a Broken World'' – 2008 {{ISBN|0811734102}} * ''Endless War'' – 2010 {{ISBN|978-0811705509}} * ''Lines of Fire: A Renegade Writes on Strategy, Intelligence, and Security'' – 2011 {{ISBN|0811705889}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Sources== :{{ACMH}}
==External links== {{wikiquote}} * [http://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/pritzker-military-presents/ralph-peters-new-glory-expanding-americas-global-supremacy/ Interview] on ''New Glory'' at the [[Pritzker Military Museum & Library]] on September 21, 2005 * [http://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/pritzker-military-presents/ralph-peters-wars-blood-faith/ Interview] on ''Wars of Blood and Faith'' at the [[Pritzker Military Museum & Library]] on November 29, 2007 * [http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3011.htm Constant Conflict] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422064244/http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3011.htm |date=April 22, 2014 }} * {{C-SPAN|1000505}} ** [https://www.c-span.org/video/?280144-1/depth-ralph-peters ''In Depth'' interview with Peters, August 3, 2008]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Peters, Ralph}} [[Category:1952 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century American male writers]] [[Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers]] [[Category:20th-century American novelists]] [[Category:21st-century American male writers]] [[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]] [[Category:21st-century American novelists]] [[Category:American historical novelists]] [[Category:American male non-fiction writers]] [[Category:American male novelists]] [[Category:American people of German descent]] [[Category:American military writers]] [[Category:Military personnel from Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Novelists from Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Pennsylvania State University alumni]] [[Category:People from Pottsville, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:People from Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Techno-thriller writers]] [[Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni]] [[Category:United States Army officers]]