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, April 9, 2010

War News for Friday, April 09, 2010

The French MoD is reporting the death of a French ISAF Legionnaire from small arms fire in the Tagab Valley, southern Kapisa province, Afghanistan on Thursday, April 8th.

NATO is reporting the deaths of three U.S. ISAF soldiers in an CV-22 Osprey crash seven miles west of Qalat City, Zabul Province, Afghanistan on Thursday, April 8th. A civilian contractor was also killed, and numerous other service members were also injured in the crash.


Romania to increase troops in Afghanistan to 1,800:

Five Connecticut soldiers wounded in Afghanistan:


Reported security incidents

Diyala Prv:
#1: A female body was found on Friday by security forces in north of Baaquba, a police source said. “The forces found the unknown corpse in Jadieda al-Shatt region in Khales, north of Baaquba,” the source, who asked for anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The body shows signs of gunshot wounds to the head,” he added.


Mosul:
#1: A civilian man was killed and another wounded in a shooting attack in western Mosul city on Thursday, a police source in Ninewa said. “Gunmen opened fire on two civilians in al-Islah al-Ziraie neighborhood, western Mosul, killing one and wounding the other,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: Iraqi army and U.S. forces will conduct an artillery drill south of Mosul city on Friday, according to a U.S. military statement on Thursday.

#3: Iraqi army forces defused an improvised explosive device (IED) that was emplaced near a mosque in northern Mosul city on Thursday, an army source said. “The IED was defused without incident near a mosque in al-Baladiyat neighborhood, northern Mosul, based on tip-offs from local resident,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#4: A gunman was killed and another wounded in a blast from an improvised explosive device they were trying to plant in northern Mosul city on Thursday, a security source in Ninewa said. “The two gunmen were trying to emplace the IED inside a house in al-Rashidiya area, northern Mosul, when it went off, killing one of them and wounding the other,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#5: Two policemen were killed by gunmen in central Mosul on Friday, according to a police source. “Two policemen were killed on Friday by gunmen in Bab al-Toub region in central Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The two cops were killed while on vacation in a crowded area on Friday,” he added



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: At least 18 militants were killed and four arrested when security forces repulsed an attack on their checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan, a media report Friday said. The exchange of fire took place in Bezot Khel village in the Orakzai tribal district on the night between Thursday and Friday when some 40 militants attacked the checkpoint, Online news agency reported, quoting sources.

#2: A local soldier was badly injured after a mortar attack at his base camp in Afghanistan.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Dennis Downs, 26, originally of Whitehall, suffered severe injuries to both of his legs after a mortar round hit a building at Camp Connelly in Afghanistan early Thursday morning. "There were no fatalities, but two service members and one U.S. civilian was wounded. The injury to one of the individuals was minor. Those to the other two were more serious, but not life-threatening," he said. Sean Turner, the Middle East spokesman for the U.S. Department of Defense, said mortar attacks are very common in Afghanistan.

#3: Taliban insurgents ambushed and killed a tribal elder, Haji Abdul Samad, along with four others in the town of Marjah, southern Helmand province on Thursday, provincial governor spokesman Dawood Ahmadi said.

#4: Afghan and NATO-led troops killed three insurgents during an operation in the northern Chardara district of northern Kunduz province overnight, district chief Abdul Wahed Omarkhel said.

#5: Two Taliban insurgents were killed and three policemen and three insurgents wounded during a firefight in the northern Takhar province on Thursday, provincial police chief Sher Ahmad said.

#6: A would-be suicide bomber blew himself up and another was shot dead by the police during a shootout in a remote village in northwest Pakistan on Friday, local TV channels reported. Police surrounded two suspected bombers in Lakki Marwat district of North-West Frontier Province after information was received about their entry into the area for terrorist attacks.
The bombers refused to surrender and fired at the police party at Amir Wanda village, police said. The police party, led by district police officer Ayub Khan, returned fire and one bomber exploded his bomb stripped to the body to avoid arrest and the other was killed by the police, the private Geo television reported. Eye witnesses said that the bomber arrived at Amir Wanda village on motor bike and a large contingent of police rushed to the area after receiving information about their presence. They said that the young bombers exchanged fire with police for some 30 minutes.

#7: A roadside bomb exploded in northern Afghanistan's Kunduz province Friday, causing no casualty, a local police official said. Abdul Rahman Haqtash, deputy police chief of Kunduz province, told Xinhua that the bombing was targeted a NATO convoy which was on road near Kunduz city, the provincial capital.


MoD: Fusilier Jonathan Burgess

DoD: Sgt. Kurt E. Kruize

19 comments:

thewiz said...

.

C- Sorry but I didn't shift any premise; I stated right from the getgo that "they" was defined as radical Islamists. There, "they" is more than just el Queda, it includes all Islamic terror groups.

Furthermore, I stated that OBL's hatred for the US predated our positioning of troops in SA. You are ignoring that fact because it harms your position.

And even if that is the beginning of divide between western society and the Muslim world, which it is not, that still doesn't exclude other factors from being aggravating circumstances.

Are you trying to claim that the encroachment of western morals, or lack thereof, is of no consequences to fundamentalist Muslims? Do you want to claim that open sexual and gay behaviors, western clothing, music, and movies have no affect on the radical religious zealots? Are you really trying to claim that the name "the Great Satan" has nothing to do with our perceived lack of morals?

Come on, admit, "they hate us for our freedoms" has some merit. It won't hurt that bad. Only a little. Promise.

.

Cervantes said...

It has no merit whatsoever. They wouldn't give a shit what we do if the U.S. wasn't a major military, diplomatic and financial presence in the Middle East. They wouldn't want to live in a liberal society, but that isn't why they attacked U.S. interests. Their concern is with the Islamic heartland, not North America.

Anonymous said...

wiz,
you are full of shit mate.
Osama Bin Laden!!hahaha,

I´ve only one thing to say and that is WTC7

thewiz said...

Their concern is with the Islamic heartland, Absolutely. And our freedoms are encroaching on their society and power structure. The younger generations dress like us, play our music, and want our freedoms. The Islamic heartland is under pressure and they know it. And to deny that is dishonest.

I don't know if your lying to me or to yourself. But anyone that looks at the Muslim world knows that this clash of civilizations has been ongoing for decades and is accelerated by modern communications and increased trade between the two societies.

The world is changing and they are trying to isolate themselves from these changes.

Cervantes said...

All that may be true Wiz, but it has nothing to do with 9/11 and certainly is not a good reason to for example, invade Iraq.

Dancewater said...

THEY HATE RUSSIA FOR THEIR FREEDOMS TOO!!!


HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

And it has nothing to do with occupying their countries, destroying their infrastructure or killing their innocent babies!!!

Those two suicide bombers in Russia were WIDOWS from Russian aggression, but the REAL reason those widows blew themselves up was western music and movies and sexual behavior.

We all know that Russia only plays western music and movies!!!!

Funny how they hate Russia for those western music and movies but not Sweden, Norway or Finland.

Dancewater said...

I guess those "RADICAL ISLAMISTS" are too dumb to figure out that Russia does not play western music and movies, but Sweden, Norway, and Finland DO.

They are so dumb they remind me of someone else who is really, really dumb and ALSO thinks killing off innocent people (as long as they are MUSLIM innocent people) is an okay thing..... They remind me of thewiz!!!


swimming, swimming, in oceans of innocent blood......

thewiz said...

Way to go C, I knew you could do it.

As for Iraq, the only way to contain Saddam was by surrounding him with large military forces. He proved that by invading two countries and attacking two more. He attacked Israel, hoping that the entire ME would then be engulfed in war. What a psycho. . . .he couldn't be left in power.

Since Iraq has a very long border with SA, that necessitated troops in SA. So it was either ignore Saddam's aggressions or piss off OBL. Tough choice.

OBL was actually angered that the Saudi Royal Family went to the US for help and turned down his offer to bring in his fighters from A'stan. The Saudis didn't trust his rag-tag bunch of zealots and didn't want them in country. They knew once there, they would never leave. OBL didn't like being rejected as he was such a hero after ejecting the Soviets out of A'stan. It was his huge ego that was damaged.

Black Friday said...

Thewiz is a person who thinks that wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are worth "paying the price for". Just as long as he is not paying that price with his own flesh. "Worth fighting for" just as long as he does not have to get himself down to the recruiting office and pick up his tin hat and gun. But he would be prepared to fight to the last drop of somebody elses blood, trust me on that.

Dancewater said...

Taliban were getting money from the USA in the summer of 2001. And OBL was on the CIA payroll until.... who knows when.

And Saddam was our friend until he invaded Kuwait. And he was responsible for two wars of aggression, but then, the USA does two (or more) wars of aggression every single decade.

Dancewater said...

yeah, thewiz will never be the one to actually fight - too much of a wimp. He will not even take a serious look at reality, because he is such a bed-wetter.

thewiz said...

.


The Taliban received a small amount of aid to help with a severe drought. And if Saddam was "our friend" then why was all the military equipment we destroyed there. . . tanks, helicopters, aircraft, artillery, ammo, heavy trucks, all from the Soviet Union or Cold war era Eastern Europe???

Your pathetic. You let your own hatred hide the facts.

Think I'll go for a swim. . . .


.

Dancewater said...

A child who survived against all odds

16 years on, it seems no lessons were learnt from the tragic case of Mariam Hamza



It's not often that a story which I have covered has reduced me to tears.

Staring into a mass grave in Kosovo containing the charred remains of 50 Albanian men, women and children was one.

Another was an interview with an Iraqi teacher whose wife and five daughters were boiled alive after missiles tore into water-filled tanks in the basement of a building where they were hiding.

But my meeting with Mariam Hamza - a blind nine-year-old cancer victim - probably affected me more than any other.

Mariam's father Hamza Abd had been an Iraqi soldier during the first Gulf War and had been exposed to fall-out from uranium-tipped missiles. As a result of the radioactive build-up in his system, his daughter had been born with leukaemia.

Botched radiation treatment at the Saddam Children's Hospital in Baghdad had left her blind when she was just a toddler.

In February 1998, when a British MP visiting Iraq stumbled upon her, she was close to death. Her story, highlighted by the British MP, touched hearts around the world and soon she became the poster child for campaign groups fighting United Nations sanctions against Iraq.

In April of that same year, Mariam was flown to Glasglow for cancer treatment which saved her life. But after returning to Iraq six months later, Mariam dropped out of sight and little was known about her condition.

Dancewater said...

Five years on ...

I was in Iraq in February 2003, just days before the start of the United States-led invasion which led to the downfall of Saddam Hussein.

Before departing Baghdad, ahead of the first air strikes, I decided to track her down.

She was living in the outskirts of the Iraqi capital with her family. And while the entire country was in turmoil over the impending bombing campaign, in the Hamza home, her family's primary concern was still Mariam's health.

Despite a minor relapse, I found her in decent health.

Sanctions meant the medicines she needed were tough to come by and her parents told me it was a full-time job getting Mariam's drugs from Jordan.

Despite her blindness and other physical disabilities caused by leukaemia, Mariam still had a sunny disposition.

She could not see me but acknowledged my presence with a beautiful smile that I will never forget.

The bitterness I could sense among her family members about the circumstances surrounding her condition had evidently not rubbed off on her.

She was one of the happiest children I had ever met, and the two hours or so we spent together were magical.



Birth defects on the rise again

Since that meeting in Baghdad, I have often thought of Mariam - a child who had survived against all odds. And I thought of her again last week as it emerged that hundreds more children are being born with horrendous disabilities following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Doctors in the city of Fallujah are reporting high numbers of birth defects. Hospitals in the affected areas say they are treating several cases of abnormalities every day and the World Health Organisation is investigating claims that the sophisticated weapons used by US troops during the invasion are to blame.

The incidence of heart defects among newborn babies in the area is said to be 13 times higher than in Europe. Doctors in the city are treating children suffering from paralysis and brain damage - and several newspapers published a photograph of a baby born with three heads.

Women in Fallujah are now being discouraged from having babies.

The Americans have funded many of the new hospitals in Iraq - and rightly so.

But it remains to be seen what compensation, if any, will be forthcoming in light of the latest findings on birth defects.

I find it tragic that 16 years after Mariam's birth, a whole new generation of similar cases are emerging. It seems no lessons were learnt from the tragic case of Mariam Hamza and we can only pray that the Obama administration does all it can to somehow ease the huge burden now facing hundreds, if not thousands, of Iraqi families.

Dancewater said...

people and governments can buy weapons from all over - and Saddam stopped being our 'friend' in 1990 when he invaded Kuwait.

Dancewater said...

Massive anti-occupation protests in Iraq today - they burned US,UK and Israeli flags. They hold these protests every year on April 9th since 2004.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=122858&sectionid=351020201

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/04/20104983512528239.html

Dancewater said...

hey, just was looking at the photos of today's massive rally - and found out the Iraqi people have something in common with the teabaggers: they can't spell English words correctly!

Of course, the Iraqis have the excuse of not having English as their first language. Teabaggers cannot say that.

They burned and walked on US, UK and Israeli flags, they also burned Obama, Gates, Biden, and Sharon in effigy. They put pictures of the faces of Obama, Gates and Biden on a fake tank. Their faces were bloody.

And one of the signs they carried said: AMERICA IS THE ENEMY OF THE WORLD.

They are definitely opposed to the ongoing US occupation of Iraq.

And since 2 US soldiers were killed and five injured today - how come they weren't on their base?

Dancewater said...

photos under Yahoo News, soon to be posted on my blog Faces of Grief.

Black Friday said...

Thewiz: enjoy your swim. After all, it will be the nearest you ever get to joining the Navy or Marines.