Not on Our Watch: A Young Soldier's Warning to America

At fifteen, Guy Nohra fought in the Lebanese Civil War--and now he shares his harrowing story as an urgent warning that the forces tearing America apart are the same ones that destroyed his homeland.

In April 1975, fifteen-year-old Guy P. Nohra traded his guitar, basketball, and school uniform for an assault rifle and army fatigues when civil war erupted on the streets of Beirut. Within weeks, the cosmopolitan city known as the "Paris of the Middle East" became a killing field--neighbors turned into enemies, churches became outposts, and a teenager was forced to make life-and-death decisions no child should ever face.

Not on Our Watch is the visceral, deeply personal memoir of a boy soldier who delivered sandwiches to frontline bunkers under sniper fire, fought nighttime raids behind enemy lines, survived a tank blast, and wrestled with the moral weight of killing. It is also a love letter to the American Dream that saved him--and a stark warning that the polarization, dehumanization, and erosion of trust he witnessed in Lebanon are now taking root in the United States.

Drawing direct parallels between the forces that destroyed Beirut and the divisions fracturing American society today, Nohra offers an unforgettable, firsthand account of what happens when political rhetoric becomes civil war. His message is simple and urgent: it doesn't have to happen here--but only if we choose to stop it.

Not on Our Watch is a story of war, survival, immigration, and hope--and a plea from someone who has lived through the nightmare that too many Americans believe could never come true.

Author: Guy Paul Nohra
Publisher: Post Hill Press
Published: 10/06/2026
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.50w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9798895658246

About the Author
Guy P. Nohra is a war veteran, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, philanthropist, and speaker. Before immigrating to the United States, he fought as a militiaman in the Lebanese Civil War at the age of only fifteen. Though war had stolen much of his adolescence and assimilation was a difficult process, these trials taught him to be adaptable, hardworking, and to never settle, shaping him into the man he is today.

After more than thirty-five years of experience as a venture capitalist, Guy now lives a life of service. He was a candidate for Nevada Governor and has become a voice of reason to the next generation. Through public speaking, podcast interviews, and op-eds, Guy strives to inform, spread peace, and turn hearts from civil disputes, helping others avoid what he endured.

When Guy is not writing or speaking, he enjoys spending time with his two daughters, travelling, and playing his guitar. He also enjoys partaking in a summer music program, teaching children how to perform in a band.