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


Thursday, October 22, 2009

War News for Thursday, October 22, 2009

NATO is reporting the death of an American ISAF service member in an IED attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, October 21th.


A Rope and a Prayer:


Reported Security incidents:

Baghdad:
#1: Two civilians were wounded on Thursday in a sticky bomb blast in western Baghdad, a police source said. “A bomb, stuck to a civilian vehicle, went off Thursday (Oct. 22) in al-Aamal al-Shaabi street in al-Aamiriya neighborhood, western Baghdad, injuring two civilians.

#2: Two persons were wounded on Thursday in a bomb explosion in southeastern Baghdad, a police source said. “A sticky bomb, placed inside a civilian vehicle, went off Thursday afternoon (Oct. 22) in Jisr Diala region, southeastern Baghdad, killing a civilian and a policeman,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Diyala Prv:
#1: Two Iraqi soldiers were wounded when insurgents attacked their vehicles with small arms fire while they were patrolling an area near a village, located some 55 km north of the provincial capital city of Baquba, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

#2: In separate incident, three people were wounded in gunfire erupted as the result of a dispute between tribesmen in a village west of Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, the source added.

#3: Also in the province, two members of an Awakening Council paramilitary group were wounded when gunmen opened fire on them at a checkpoint in the Edhiem area in northwestern Diyala, the source said.

#4: The commander of the Sahwa fighters in Diala was wounded on Thursday in a sticky bomb blast in the south of Baaquba, according to a security source. “A bomb, stuck to the vehicle of the Sahwa commander, Sheikh Houssam Ulwan al-Majmaai, went off Thursday (Oct. 22) at the Bahraz district’s entry, south of Baaquba, seriously injuring him and one of his bodyguards,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Mahaweel:
#1: At least two women were killed and 12 others were wounded in a sticky bomb explosion in the north of Hilla on Wednesday, a police source said. “A bomb, stuck to a bus, went off on Wednesday evening (Oct, 21) in Albu Ulwan region, Mahaweel district, north of Hilla, killing two women and injuring 12, including children,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Kut:
#1: Police forces found on Wednesday the body of a civilian one day after his kidnapping on the Tigris river’s bank in eastern Kut, a security source said. “Police forces found on Wednesday (Oct. 21) the body of a civilian one day after his kidnapping,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The body was found on the banks of the Tigris river in Anwar al-Sadr region, eastern Kut.” He added. Noting that it bore signs of gunshot wounds to the chest.


Nassiriya:
#1: The U.S. base south of Nassiriya city was rocketed with three missiles on Wednesday noon, said a media source from Thi-Qar province. “The exact locations that were hit by the rockets are still unknown,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. He said that there have been no reports so far about casualties. Helicopters are still patrolling Nassiriya’s skies and nearby areas.


Thi Qar:
#1: Rockets that hit the U.S. base southwestern Thi-Qar on Wednesday afternoon left minor damages, without causing any casualties, said the U.S. forces media spokesperson in the province. “Four rockets hit the base,” the spokesperson told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. He said one of the rockets hit the base’s surroundings.


Kirkuk:
#1: A cameraman from an Iraqi satellite TV channel was killed and a journalist from another Iraqi channel was wounded by a roadside bomb explosion in the city of Kirkuk, a local police source said. "Orhan Hijran, a cameraman working for the al-Rasheed television, was killed and Mohammed Abdullah, a journalist with the al-Baghdadiyah channel, was wounded when a roadside bomb went off in the afternoon near their car in al-Khadraa district in southern Kirkuk," the source at Kirkuk police operations office, told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

#2: One civilian was killed Wednesday by gunmen in southern Kirkuk, according to a senior police official. “Unknown gunmen killed a civilian this afternoon (Oct. 21) in al-Asra neighborhood in southern Kirkuk using a gun with silencer inside his store,” Brig. Sarhad Qader, the Kirkuk Districts’ Police Department (KDPD), told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Mosul:
#1: A vendor and a child were killed by gunmen in northern Mosul on Wednesday, according to a security source. “Unidentified gunmen on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 21) opened fire on a vendor in al-Rashidiya region, northern Mosul, killing him and a 10-year-old passing child,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: Gunmen opened fire on a civilian, who works for the water department, killing him instantly in al-Jameaa neighborhood, northern Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#3: Another civilian was killed by gunmen in Senaat Wadi Ekab region, western Mosul, while driving his own car,” he added.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: A Pakistani army brigadier and his driver have died in a shooting incident in the capital, Islamabad, police say. They were travelling in an army vehicle when it was attacked by gunmen. It is not clear who carried out the attack. The attack on Brigadier Moeenuddin and his driver Asghar took place in the G-11 sector of Islamabad. At least one soldier was injured.

#2: At least 24 militants were killed during military operation in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal area in the last 24 hours, while two security forces personnel lost their lives and four others were injured, an army statement said Thursday.

#3: A roadside bomb struck an army van in southern Afghan Zabul province leaving two persons dead, both civilians, and injured nine others including seven civilians, police said Thursday. "The gruesome incident occurred Wednesday evening in Shahjoi district when device planted by militants hit a vehicle of Afghan soldiers killing two passersby and injuring nine others including two soldiers," Ghulam Jilani Khan deputy to provincial police chief told Xinhua.


DoD: Lance Cpl. David R. Baker

DoD: Staff Sgt. Bradley Espinoza

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