Daniel J Gerstle

Brooklyn, NY

I'm a creative longform crisis journalist, human rights researcher, and humanitarian aid consultant who's worked in and covered the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East, and the African Horn. Prior to all this, I served as a US Marine stateside.

Currently, I'm Editor and Chief Correspondent for HELO: The Crisis Story Magazine and I write for New America Media, the Guardian Weekly, and Propeller Films. Although I grew up in sweet Cincinnati, I'm based in rocking New York City.

Find me at www.HELOmagazine.org/about-helo/ and http://www.HELOmagazine.org/daniel-j-gerstle/.

http://www.HELOmagazine.org

Daniel J started the petition | about 1 year ago

Rally U.S. Congress Behind the Global Arms Trade Treaty
Daniel J signed the petition | about 1 year ago

Rally U.S. Congress Behind the Global Arms Trade Treaty
Daniel J commented on the article | over 1 year ago

Afghanistan's Guillotine Syndrome

Hi Christine, Yes, I was already planning to write on that Iran case, and related crimes against women; but it's a significantly different topics so I wanted to write it separately so as not to fog the complexity of this one. If I don't get it up in the next days, it's only because I'm still catching up on similar stories for other publications. Peace, Daniel
Daniel J commented on the article | over 1 year ago

Somalia is No More a Failed State Than the United States

Excellent! Thanks Wes for a sharp counter-point. So glad you could weigh in with some informed points, and I'm not just saying that. I guess I've been hungry for some constructive debate in this forum. Please continue to join us in debates here on Change.org. I'm going to try to carve out some time for a flavorful response on the Failed States Index. In the meantime, I hope more readers see both sets of points and join in the debate. Cheers.
Daniel J signed the petition | over 1 year ago

Turn Up the Peace: Tell Our Leaders to Invest in Peacebuilding
Daniel J commented on the article | over 1 year ago

Were Nuclear Weapons Inevitable?

Thomas, I'm curious to know why you think it's okay to join a debate by claiming that my "lack of knowledge is telling" then following that by making points that missed the nuance of my post entirely. Your point does not counter the information I provided about the Pacific war. If you fought in WWII in the Pacific theater, please share.

Thomas and David, I respect your points of view and definitely agree with David's last sentence, but you're not addressing my point? Perhaps it wasn't clear enough.

Though I wrote with an anti-nuke tone, I was admitting that the U.S. was caught in a no-win scenario. Anyway, I had meant to evoke a discussion about whether, given that the debate is typically about to (develop the) bomb or not to (develop the) bomb, there were other options, third, fourth, and fifth points of view that may not have been considered?

Even if one comes to believe that the U.S. had no other option than to develop and use an atomic weapon then, and continue to deter the Soviets later, that doesn't necessarily mean we need to champion the idea, or celebrate it, or not continue trying to think if there were other options we haven't thought about.
Daniel J commented on the article | over 1 year ago

Some Good News About the Gaza Flotilla Crisis?

Lorena, So glad you're able to write in with Coast Guard experience!

J and others, Trying to be balanced here, I can see how Israel's been hit many times and how it's not known for sure whether the flotilla people who meant well may have been infiltrated by club-wielders. But I'm saddened that you're only able to see Israelis being hit and haven't noticed the wounds of the others in the fight.

Remember, Hamas may be a bully, but when Israel's govt goes to defend itself it often misses Hamas and hits the innocent bystanders who happen to be nearby. Imagine that was you.

If you have an armed gang like Hamas in your neighborhood, you can try to move out or force them to move out, but if the police won't let you leave or you have no money you have no choice but to live beside them; that's the situation for a lot of Gazans being hit in the crossfire.

By the way, the aid flotilla wasn't "the Turks." There were Turkish people included but there were different nationalities and the Turkish government was not an active but only a passive participant. Get your facts and labels straight.
Daniel J commented on the article | over 1 year ago

Some Good News About the Gaza Flotilla Crisis?

Linsa, you're not doing any good for anyone championing more killing. In fact, you just make yourself sound like someone unpleasant to be around when you champion killing even of someone you disagree with.

Ari, I'd agree that they violated international law and did it to provoke Israel. However, I think the violation was not a bad or threatening way to alert the global community that Israel's government has violated numerous international laws, particularly in its handling of the Gaza situation, namely punishing innocent civilians in its attempt to punish the Hamas leadership.

I'm probably with Lorena on this. Except I'm not sure I would through around the genocide word so easily regarding Israel. Always better to go with the clear evidenced lesser charge.

Despite all the lovely, wonderful people in Israel, its government clearly earned an allegation of crime against humanity when it saturation bombed Gaza then actively prevented aid agencies from helping the civilians trapped inside.

I've worked in Israel and seen the bombing patterns from 2008-9. They did not only hit Hamas buildings and government offices; they showered civilian neighborhoods with bombs. We don't blame Israel or Israelis; we blame Israel's ministry of defense.
Daniel J commented on the article | over 1 year ago

Who Is a Veteran?

Hi Ted, Obviously I disagree since I wrote the article. Consider these cases:

A Navy specialist I met who never served in a theater of war (so not a veteran according to the federal definition) but got a serious lung problem after being called on to search for survivors in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Will she get federal benefits to help pay for medical costs or disability down the road?

A Marine who served with distinction in Afghanistan, but then got an administrative (other than honorable) discharge for smoking marijuana and getting into a fight with his commander (so disqualified from vet status). Will the government provide him benefits to cover treatment for his disabling back injury?

A humanitarian aid worker serving on a US contract in Iraq leaves their agency after severe exposure to war violence (not a "vet"). Now back home in the US they have trouble returning to work because of severe post-traumatic stress and go into financial ruin. Should the government help them pay for their therapy, if not provide the same kind of economic support other veterans get including access to social service agencies?
Daniel J commented on the article | over 1 year ago

On Obama's Foreign Policy, the Establishment Debates Itself, and Nobody Wins

Right on, Matt.