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


Wednesday, November 25, 2009

War News for Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Danish Defense Ministry is reporting the death of a Danish ISAF soldier in an IED attack somewhere in Helmand province, Afghanistan on Wednesday, November 25th.


Hero Navy SEALs to be tried for assault:

U.S. Strategy on Afghanistan Will Contain Many Messages:

UK: NATO to offer 5,000 troops for Afghanistan:


Reported security incidents

Baghdad:
#1: A magnetic bomb stuck to a parked civilian car detonated near Abu Afif Sweets shop in Karrada out, central Baghdad at 7.30 p.m. Tuesday injuring three civilians.

#2: A magnetic bomb stuck to a civilian car detonated near Antar Square, Adhamiyah, northern Baghdad injuring two civilians Tuesday.

#3: A roadside bomb targeted a store that sells alcoholic beverages in Shaab neighbourhood, northern Baghdad injuring two people Tuesday.

#4: A magnetic bomb stuck to a policeman's personal car detonated in Ur neighbourhood, Wednesday, injuring one civilian passer by.

A senior police officer survived an attempt on his life on Wednesday in northeastern Baghdad, a police source said. “A sticky bomb, attached to the car of a police colonel, went off in Ur neighborhood in northeastern Baghdad, injuring a passing civilian,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#5: A roadside bomb targeted the personal car of an employee in the interior ministry near the National Theatre in Karrada, central Baghdad injuring four people, the employee inside the car and three civilian pedestrians.


Diyala Prv:
#1: A roadside bomb targeted a police patrol on the road to imam Weis, east Baquba at 10.30 a.m. Wednesday injuring three policemen, two of whom are in critical condition.


Amarra:
#1: Three Katyusha rockets were defused on Friday in central Amara, a police source said.
“Anti-explosives experts managed on Tuesday (Nov. 24) to defuse three Katyusha rockets, ready to be launched in al-Iskan region, central Amara,” Colonel Sadeq Salam told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Karbala:
#1: A bomb killed at least four people and wounded 25 others in one of Iraq's holy cities Wednesday morning, an Interior Ministry official said. The bomb detonated in a popular restaurant in Karbala at 8:30 a.m., when it was packed with breakfast diners. The restaurant is about 400 meters (one-quarter mile) from the headquarters of the city's security forces, said Karbala police spokesman Abdul Rahman al-Meshawi.

The first bomb targeted diners inside the restaurant in the heart of the city, located 110 kilometres (69 miles) south of the capital Baghdad, around 9:00 am (0600 GMT), causing several injuries, police said. However, a second bomb minutes later, after an ambulance and medics had arrived to help the wounded, caused most of the casualties.


Tarmoyah:
#1: Gunmen in military uniforms killed six civilians from one family, including three women, in a town in north of Baghdad on Wednesday, a local police source said. The incident took place in the town of Tarmiyah, some 40 km north of Baghdad, when gunmen disguised in military uniforms stormed a house in the town and killed three males and three females, including 13 years old girl, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The attacker left alive a woman and her child, who were relatives of the victims visiting the family when the attack occurred, the source said.


Tikrit:
#1: (area) Firefighters responded to a morning fire which damaged a building at COB Speicher. The fire was extinguished and everyone inside the building was safely evacuated. No one was injured in the blaze.


Kirkuk:
#1: A sticky bomb attached to a car wounded an off-duty policeman on Tuesday in central Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.


Mosul:
#1: A roadside bomb targeted an Iraqi army patrol in al Hadbaa neighbourhood injuring two servicemen and one civilian.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: At least 12 militants were killed and 14 others injured in Pakistan's northwest during the last 24 hours, official sources said Wednesday. Nine militants were killed and 14 others injured Wednesday during the exchange of fire between militants and Pakistani security forces in Orakzai tribal agency, according to the military sources. In Swat and Malakand area of North West Frontier Province (NWFP),on a tip-off, security forces carried out search operation, killed three militants and apprehended four others.


DoD: Sgt. James M. Nolen

DoD: Pfc. Marcus A. Tynes

DoD: Staff Sgt. Matthew A. Pucino

DoD: Spc. Jason A. McLeod

Posted by whisker at 3:53 AM

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