The present-day U.S. military qualifies by any measure as highly professional, much more so than its Cold War predecessor. Yet the purpose of today’s professionals is not to preserve peace but to fight unending wars in distant places. Intoxicated by a post-Cold War belief in its own omnipotence, the United States allowed itself to be drawn into a long series of armed conflicts, almost all of them yielding unintended consequences and imposing greater than anticipated costs. Since the end of the Cold War, U.S. forces have destroyed many targets and killed many people. Only rarely, however, have they succeeded in accomplishing their assigned political purposes. . . . [F]rom our present vantage point, it becomes apparent that the “Revolution of ‘89” did not initiate a new era of history. At most, the events of that year fostered various unhelpful illusions that impeded our capacity to recognize and respond to the forces of change that actually matter.

Andrew Bacevich


Saturday, October 20, 2007

War News for Saturday, October 20, 2007

Photo: A man who was shot by unidentified gunmen receives treatment in a hospital in Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) northeast of Baghdad October 20, 2007. The man who later died in the hospital was shot by gunmen while waiting for a ride on his way to central Baquba on Saturday, police said. REUTERS/Stringer (IRAQ)

Security Incidents for 10/20/07:

BAGHDAD - U.S. forces arrested 11 gunmen during operations in central Iraq, the U.S. military said.

BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb killed a man and wounded another in al Salam district, western Baghdad, police said.

BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb and small arms fire killed one U.S. soldier and wounded another in southern Baghdad on Thursday, the U.S. military said.

BAGHDAD - Six bodies were found in Baghdad over the past 24 hours, police said.

BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb killed one dustman and wounded three in Ghadir district, southeastern Baghdad, police said.

Baghdad - One civilian was killed and two others wounded in an IED explosion inside a sedan car in AL Tobchi neighborhood north east Baghdad around 3,15 pm.

12 policemen killed, wounded, 34 gunmen arrested in Baghdad

U.S. force raids IIP headquarters in Baghdad

Sadr's mouthpiece newspaper building wrecked in arson attack in eastern Baghdad

KIRKUK - Gunmen stopped a car and kidnapped five people southwest of Kirkuk. In a separate incident, gunmen kidnapped a man in the centre of the northern city, police said.

NEAR KIRKUK - A body with gunshot wounds and signs of torture was found southwest of Kirkuk, police said.

KIRKUK - A roadside bomb hit a police patrol wounding two policemen in central Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad, police said. [Other reports said three were injured. – dancewater]

Eskandariyah - Three policemen were injured in an IED explosion that targeted their patrol in Eskandariyah town north of Hilla city today morning.

Hilla - Three civilians were killed and nine others were injured in an IED explosion that targeted a mini bus on Baghdad- Hilla Street today morning. [Later report said four died. – dancewater]

Hilla - Gunmen killed Mohammed Al Rubaiee, the mayor of Hettin neighborhood.

Near Hilla - Babel police arrest man on charges of slaughtering 150 people

DIWANIYA - A coalition patrol was hit by three roadside bombs, small arms fire and an anti-tank grenade on Friday in Diwaniya, 180 km (112 miles) south of Baghdad. No one was killed or wounded in the attack. Polish helicopters provided air support and killed two militants, the U.S. military said.

Polish copters engage gunmen in Diwaniya

HAWIJA - A roadside bomb killed two Iraqi soldiers when it hit their patrol in Hawija, 70 km (43 miles) southwest of Kirkuk, police said.

SAMARRA - U.S. forces killed 11 militants in air strikes and detained two in operations last week near Samarra, 100 km (62 miles) north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.

BAQUBA - U.S. forces killed a militant near Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north on Baghdad on Friday. He was suspected of leading a 250-member cell responsible for roadside bomb attacks across the country, the U.S. military said.

Baquba – Three bodies found by police, one was a security man and the other two are unidentified. They bore signs of torture.

Baquba – Joint Iraqi and US forces captured 13 wanted militants during operations in Baquba.

ISKANDARIYA - A roadside bomb in Iskandariya on Friday targeting a police patrol near the headquarters of a civil defence unit wounded three policeman, police said.

ISKANDARIYA - Gunmen shot dead a local authority official from the Iskandariya area on Friday, police said.

ISKANDARIYA - A roadside bomb targeting a minibus on Friday killed three people and wounded nine in Iskandariya, 40 km (25 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.

BASRA - A man threw grenade at a building in Basra wounding three guards, police said.

Diala Province: 11 gunmen arrested in Diala

Five al-Qaeda members arrested in two separate operations in Diala

Armed group puts bounty on journalist's head

Karbala – Police and gunman clashed in Karbala, where one suspect was arrested.

Some more security incidents from yesterday:

U.S. soldier killed, 3 wounded in explosive device attack in Salah al-Din

Six unidentified bodies found in Baghdad

Two Iraqi soldiers wounded, four farmers kidnapped in Diala

Body found, two bombs defused in Mosul

Kidnapped professor found dead in eastern Baghdad

Four civilians wounded, Hummer burnt in three bombs explosion in Diwaniya

Attack on policemen leaves several victims northwest of Baghdad

Police chief in Kirkuk survives attempt on his life

Posted by Dancewater at 11:11 AM

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