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, May 28, 2010

War News for Friday, May 28, 2010

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier in an IED attack somewhere in southern Afghanistan on Friday, May 28th. News reports this to be an American.


5 Vermont soldiers wounded in Afghan attack:

UN official set to ask US to end CIA Drone strikes: NYT

Attackers strike sect mosques in Pakistan; 20 dead:

Yemen soldier killed, 4 injured in south clashes:

CNN: Interactive: 6000 stories of war loss:


Reported security incidents

Baghdad:
#1: Abdul-Kareem Mohammed, Arabic language university professor of the Sharia College, was shot dead in his office by one of the students, a source in the interior ministry said. The college lies in Baghdad's central Bab al-Muadham district.

#2: A roadside bomb wounded three civilians in Baghdad's northern Adhamiya district late on Thursday, an interior ministry source said.

#3: A bomb attached to a car wounded two civilians in eastern Baghdad late on Thursday, an interior ministry source said


Diyala Prv:
#1: A roadside bomb exploded near a police checkpoint in Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) northeast of Baghdad, late on Thursday, wounding three civilians, police said.


Najaf:
#1: Around 6.5 million dinars have been stolen from al-Rafideen Bank in southern Najaf, chairman of the security committee said on Friday. “A group of thieves stole 6.5 million dinars from al-Rafideen Bank of al-Mekhshab branch, wouthern Najaf,” Loay al-Yasseri told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Mosul:
#1: A civilian man was killed by unidentified gunmen in western Mosul city on Thursday, a local police source in Ninewa said. “The gunmen opened fire on a civilian local resident of al-Mahlabiya district on the main street in Tal al-Rimman area, western Mosul, killing him instantly,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: The personal driver of Al-Iraqiya List’s member Bashar al-Akidi died on Friday of wounds he sustained last Monday in the attempt on al-Akidi’s life, a police source said. “Muhanad Hazem, 30, the driver of the member of al-Iraqiya List, died this morning in Mosul public hospital of wounds,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. Bashar Hamed al-Akidi and his driver were wounded last Monday (May 24) when unknown gunmen opened fire on them in front of his house in al-Aamel neighborhood in western Mosul.

#3: Two mortar rounds targeting a fabric factory in southern Mosul wounded eleven of the factory workers, police said.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: Afghan forces battled militants in a remote region near the Pakistan border for a sixth day Friday, and officials were trying to confirm reports that a key Pakistani Taliban leader was killed in the fighting. Hundreds of militants have been trying since Sunday to seize control of the Barg-e-Matal district of Nuristan province along the Pakistani border, provincial officials said.

#2: Four policemen were gunned down in Sattelite Town area of Quetta in an ambush by unidentified armed men.Unidentified gunmen Friday killed four policemen in Quetta, where targeted killings blamed on insurgents and Taliban militants are increasing, police said. The attack took place in Satellite Town, a neighbourhood of Quetta, the capital of resource-rich Baluchistan province, police said. "A police station house officer, two constables and the driver were killed on the spot. The attackers fled on their motorcycle," local police official Mohammmad Amin told AFP by telephone.

#3: The officials said that at least 25 militants were killed when fighter jets pounded militant hideouts in the Kasha area of Upper Orakzai tribal region.

#4: Separately, militant hideouts were also bombed in the Dabori, Mamuzai and Ghalju areas of Upper Orakzai killing 15 militants, injuring 25 and destroying five militant hideouts.

#5: 10 militants were killed and a security personnel identified as Shahab Akhtar died in a clash in the Dabori area.

#6: In another incident, two militants and a policeman were killed in clashes in Hangu district, which shares a border with Orakzai Agency, on Thursday, District Police Officer (DPO) Hangu Abdur Rashid Khan said. The incident occurred in the Mamu Khwr area of Tull tehsil in Hangu district when militants opened fire at a police mobile.

#8: Operations were also launched in Zagari Shinwari area when armed forces attacked using artillery fire in the Ghalju and Mamuzi areas. Reports said four insurgents were killed in the assault.


MoD: Gunner Zak Cusack

MoD: Corporal Stephen Paul Curley

2 comments:

Dancewater said...

Just imagine if CNN did an interactive map on ALL the stories of war loss - you would hardly be able to find US troops at all because the data base would be so huge!

yapay kızlık zarı said...

Just imagine if CNN did an interactive map on ALL the stories of war loss - you would hardly be able to find US troops at all because the data base would be so huge!