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


Friday, August 28, 2009

War News for Friday, August 28, 2009

MNF-Iraq is reporting the deaths of two 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Soldiers in a roadside bombing in an eastern neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq on Friday, August 28th.

The Associated Press is reporting the death of an American ISAF soldier in a roadside bombing in an undisclosed location in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, August 28th.


Aug. 26 airpower summary:

Fear of Taliban rises in Afghanistan:

Feared Taliban grab of Kandahar would be significant blow to U.S.

US works on next-generation drones:

Abuse Issue Puts the C.I.A. and Justice Dept. at Odds:

Suicide bombing in Chechnya kills 2, wounds 6:


Reported Security incidents:

Baghdad:
#1: A roadside bomb targeted an American military patrol in Ghazaliyah neighbourhood, western Baghdad, Wednesday evening. No casualties were reported.

#2: A roadside bomb targeted civilians in New Baghdad neighbourhood, eastern Baghdad at 9 p.m. Wednesday injuring one policeman and two civilians.

#3: A roadside bomb targeted civilians in Mansour neighbourhood, central Baghdad at 9.30 p.m. Wednesday injuring two civilians.


Kirkuk:
#1: Multi-National Force (MNF) soldiers shot down a gunman and wounded another while attempting to plant an improvised explosive device in southwestern Kirkuk on Thursday, a source from the city’s Joint Coordination Center said. “MNF forces were on an air reconnaissance mission when two persons were seen emplacing an IED. The soldiers opened fire at them, killing one gunman and wounding the other,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Mosul:
#1: A policeman was killed and another wounded in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast that targeted a police patrol in northern Mosul city on Thursday, a security source said. “The IED went off near a police patrol in al-Baladiyat neighborhood, northern Mosul, leaving a policeman killed and another wounded,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: A civilian man was killed and two Iraqi soldiers wounded in an improvised explosive device attack that targeted a security patrol in northern Mosul city on Thursday, a police source in Ninewa said. “The IED went off near an Iraqi army patrol in al-Mohandessin neighborhood, northern Mosul, leaving one civilian man killed and two Iraqi patrolmen wounded,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The blast left minor damage to one of the patrol vehicles,” he added.

#3: Gunmen killed a man affiliated with Mosul's al-Hadba political group when he left a mosque in northern Mosul on Thursday, police said. Mostly Sunni Arab al-Hadba dominates Mosul's provincial council.

#4: Gunmen opened fire on Iraqi police and killed a girl and wounded one civilian in central Mosul on Thursday night, police said



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: Afghan and international forces killed several militants, including a woman, in northern Afghanistan after they came under fire while travelling to search a militant compound, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said Friday. The woman was among the militants who engaged the joint force in Kunduz province, was armed with an automatic rifle and was wearing ammunition across her chest, the ISAF said. One civilian was wounded in Thursday's crossfire and was taken for medical treatment, it said, adding that one militant was arrested in the subsequent search of the compound.

#2: A suicide bomber attacked the main border crossing for convoys ferrying supplies to U. S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan yesterday, killing at least 19 security officers, officials said. The suicide attacker walked up to a group of border guards outside their barracks at a checkpoint in the Khyber region and detonated his explosives, local police officer Sadiq Khan said. The victims were breaking their daylong fast during the holy month of Ramadan. The border had closed for the day a few hours earlier. At least 19 people were killed and 20 wounded, according to Fazal Akbar, the head doctor at Landi Kota hospital.

#3: Taliban insurgents ambushed a convoy of Afghan counter-narcotics police, killing three and wounding 23 others on the outskirts of Ghazni city, southwest of Kabul, provincial police chief Khial Baz Sherzai said.

#4: Four Afghan police officers were killed when their military vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the eastern Ali Sher district of Khost province on Thursday, said Sher Ahmad, a district police officer.

#5: Seven militants were killed and four others arrested during ongoing search and clearance operations in northwest Pakistan in the last 24 hours, local official sources said Friday. Pakistani security forces continued search operations in various areas of Swat and Malakand in North West Frontier Province. Two militants were killed in exchange of fire and four others arrested in Swat, according to Inter Services Public Relations. At least five militants were killed in a clash between security forces and militants in Malakand, official sources said. Security forces recovered weapons and huge catch of ammunition from the militants who were foreign nationals.

DoD: Lance Cpl. Donald J. Hogan

DoD: Capt. John L. Hallett III, 30, of California.

DoD: Capt. Cory J. Jenkins, 30, of Arizona.

DoD: Sgt. 1st Class Ronald W. Sawyer, 38, of Trenton, Mo.

DoD: Pfc. Dennis M. Williams, 24, of Federal Way, Wash.

0 comments: