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


Tuesday, July 7, 2009

War News for Tuesday, July 07, 2009

NATO is reporting the deaths of three ISAF soldiers in a helicopter crash in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Monday, July 6th. The DND/CF and British MOD reports that two Canadians and one British soldier died in a Canadian CH-146 Griffon helicopter crashed during take-off in Forward Operating Base in Tarnak Va Jaldak, Zabul Province, Afghanistan.

NATO is also reporting the death of an ISAF soldier during an insurgent attack in an undisclosed location in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, July 6th. Media reports this to be an American soldier.


June 26 airpower summary: June 27 airpower summary: June 28 airpower summary: June 29 airpower summary: June 30 airpower summary: July 1 airpower summary: July 2 airpower summary: July 3 airpower summary: July 4 airpower summary: July 5 airpower summary:

Iraqi oil revenues up in second quarter: Oil exports averaged 1.885 million barrels a day during the quarter, up slightly from 1.8 million barrels a day in the first quarter.

Eisenhower strike group hands off Afghanistan mission:

Kyrgyz leader approves US deal for Manas base:

Iran shuts offices, cancels flights due dust from Iraq:

12 killed, 100 others injured in series bombings in S Philippines:

KELLY’S BOOK OF SECRETS: (This one is worth the time to read)


Reported Security incidents:

Baghdad:
#1: Insurgents driving a speeding car opened fire using pistols fitted with silencers upon a checkpoint manned by Iraqi army in Waziriyah neighboorhood, north Baghdad, wounding two servicemen and one civilian.


Amarra:
#1: Six Katyusha rockets have landed on an emergency police headquarters in Missan province, causing no casualties or damage, according to a security official. “The attack occurred last night (July 6),” Staff Brig. Sadeq Abdulazeem al-Hilw told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The rockets fell within the perimeter of the headquarters, the brigadier explained, adding that no casualties or damage resulted.


Diwaniya:
#1: A tribal official on Tuesday survived an assassination attempt when an explosive charge targeted his vehicle in southern Diwaniya, according to a local police official. “A sticky improvised explosive device (IED) targeted the vehicle of the director of the tribal affairs office, Maj. Gen. Marid al-Hassoon, in front of his house in al-Hamza al-Sharqi district (30 km south of Diwaniya city),” Lt. Col. Aamer Abdulaema told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “Hassoon was not inside his car when the device exploded,” the source explained.


Dalouiya:
#1: Unknown gunmen attacked a U.S. vehicle patrol in east of Dalouiya on Monday, an Iraqi army source said. “Unknown armed men fired a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) on a U.S. vehicle patrol in al-Mashrouaa village, east of Dalouiya,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The was no immediate word on casualties.


Mosul:
#1: One civilian was killed on Monday by gunmen in western Mosul, a police source said. “Unknown gunmen shot and killed a civilian in 17 Tamouz neighborhood in western Mosul on Monday (July 6),” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: One policeman on Tuesday was gunned down in front of his house in Mosul city, according to a local police source. “Today, two gunmen opened fire on a cop in front of his house in al-Rashidiya area, northern Mosul, killing him on the spot,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “Relatives of the victims who were at the scene of the incident fired back at the gunmen, killing one of them,” the source noted.

#3: Gunmen killed a civilian inside a medical center in east Mosul around noon.

#4: Gunmen stabbed to death two policemen in east Mosul on Monday evening. They attacked later with machineguns a close checkpoint without causing any casualties.

#5: A gunman opened fire from his assault rifle on a police patrol in the Rasheriyah neighborhood in northern Mosul, killing two policemen, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Policemen in the patrol fired back and killed the attacker, the source said.

#6: In a separate attack, armed men attacked a police checkpoint in Muthanna neighborhood in northern Mosul, killing two more policemen before they fled the scene, the source added.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: Suspected US missiles slammed into a training camp run by Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud on Tuesday, killing at least 12 militants in the latest in a flurry of strikes against him and his followers, intelligence officials said. Five foreigners were among the dead in the attack in South Waziristan close to the Afghan border, the officials said, but their nationalities were not known.

#2: A grenade attack on a police convoy killed one Afghan civilian and wounded 34, including four policemen, in the eastern province of Khost, said Kochai Nasseri, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

#3: During the last 24 hours, 4 terrorists were killed including two terrorist commanders and 34 were apprehended in northwestern Pakistan's Swat and Bunnu districts, the Pakistani army said in a press release Tuesday.

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