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, March 24, 2010

News of the Day for Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Whisker is busy this morning, so you get this abbreviated post from YT. - C

Reported Security Incidents

Afternoon Updates: Teen age suicide bomber kills 3 people in Heet, in an attack on the home of Lieutenant Colonel Walid Sulaiman al-Heeti. Heeti was rebuilding the house after it was destroyed in an earlier bombing.

Five Iraqi soldiers killed in attack on a checkpoint in al-Radwaniya, southern Baghdad. (Actually a village in the suburbs - C)

Three civilians injured by roadside bomb on Palestine St.

Mosul

Hand grenade attack on a police patrol kills 1 civilian, injures 1 civilians and 1 police officer.

Reuters reports 1 civilian killed, 2 injured in roadside bomb attack on a police patrol. Can't tell whether this is a different version of the same incident. -- C

Mahmudiya

One "militant" killed, 1 injured in gun battle with Iraqi troops.

Muqdadiya

Bomb disposal expert killed trying to defuse a roadside bomb.

Other News of the Day

For what it's worth, Islamic State in Iraq, which uses the al Qaeda brand name, releases an audio taking credit for election day violence and vowing attacks on U.S. troops.

Maliki allies threaten secession of southern Iraq if no recount. (Yep, that seems to be the gist of it.) Ned Parker and Raheem Salman report. Excerpt:

Senior politicians from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's ruling coalition warned yesterday that Shiite-dominated southern Iraq could severely loosen its ties with Baghdad if the nation's electoral commission failed to meet its demand for a manual recount of parliamentary election results.

The politicians, who also echoed al-Maliki's warning Sunday that sectarian violence could return without a recount, accused the U.S. of working against them.

In turn, Western diplomats and advisers to the Iraqi government described al-Maliki's circle as terrified of losing power and said Iraq is entering a dangerous period.


Afghanistan update

Two mine clearers killed, 2 injured when their vehicle hits an IED in Uruzgan. They were clearing Soviet era mines but this was apparently a remote-controlled bomb planted by Taliban.

Two NATO troops killed by a bomb, no further information available at this time, including the nationality of the casualties.

Two insurgents and 3 police killed in fighting in Ghazni.

Karzai is in Beijing for a summit with president Hu.

Afghanistan needs billions for water infrastructure, for irrigation, and electricity. Most water now flows out of the country. Of course, if Afghanistan builds more dams, its neighbors won't be happy. The resource is finite.

Posted by Cervantes at 4:28 AM

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