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


Monday, March 8, 2010

War News for Monday, March 08, 2010

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier in an IED attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Friday, February 5th.

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier in a small arms fire attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, February 7th.

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier in an IED attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, February 7th.

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier in a small arms fire attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, February 7th.

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier in a small arms fire attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, February 6th.


Iraq awaits results of historic election but outcome not likely to bring new government soon:

Iraqis Defy Blasts in Strong Turnout for Pivotal Election:

Gates in Afghanistan on unannounced visit:

Montenegro sends first troops to Afghanistan:


Reported security incidents

Baghdad:
#1: More than one hundred attacks upon civilians with small home made bombs and 13 roadside bombs exploded in Baghdad alone, Sunday that resulted in at least 38 civilians killed and around 90 others injured on Elections Day, March 7.


Diyala Prv:
#1: Around 36 home made bombs and stun bombs and five mortar rounds targeted polling centres in and around Baquba, early Sunday injuring two civilians.


Kirkuk:
#1: Six persons have been injured during a sporadic shooting in Kirkuk following parliamentary elections, a local security source said on Monday.


Al Anbar Prv:
#1: Six roadside bombs and four mortar rounds targeted polling centres in and around Fallujah, Sunday, causing only material damages.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: A roadside bomb attack has blown up a car in a remote southwestern province of Afghanistan, killing 10 civilians, the interior ministry said Monday. The first bomb went off as civilians drove over the device in the Muqur district of Badghis province on Sunday, the ministry said in a statement.

#2: Another civilian died in a separate bomb blast in the same region, it added. (the Muqur district of Badghis province)

#3: A suicide car bomber Monday struck a building where police interrogate high-value suspects in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, killing at least 12 people and wounding 61 more including women taking children to school, officials said. The explosion went off outside a Punjab province police building, police official Zulfikar Hameed said. TV footage showed a huge crater in the ground where the blast originated. It appeared the suicide bomber rammed a car packed with as much as 1,300 pounds (600 kilograms) of explosives into the building's perimeter wall, officials said. Much of the police building collapsed, leaving piles of bricks and metal, TV footage showed.

#4: The Taliban gained control of several villages in northeastern Afghanistan on Monday after two days of gunbattles with another Islamist group that ended when nearly 70 of the rival militants retreated and surrendered to government forces nearby, officials said. The fierce fighting, which left at least 50 dead from both sides, was a turf war between the Taliban and insurgent allies Hezb-e-Islami _ loyal to regional warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar _ that also might have been triggered by Hekmatyar's apparent willingness to join the government-led peace process, officials said. "If the government protects us and supports us, we will finish the Taliban in Baghlan," said Noorullaq, one of 11 Hezb-e-Islami commanders who turned their weapons over to the government. He spoke at a news conference Monday in the provincial capital of Pul-e-Khumri. The government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has little control in the area of Baghlan where the fighting broke out. Afghan police amassed on the edge of the battle zone, set up mobile hospitals and were offering medical care to any fighters willing to defect.


MoD: Rifleman Jonathon Allott

MoD: Rifleman Liam Maughan

DoD: Spc. Anthony A. Paci


(We are aware of the problems with spamming in the comment section and are trying to fix it, please be patient because this may take some time to figure out -- whisker)

0 comments: