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


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

War News for Tuesday, November 22, 2011

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an insurgent attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Monday, November 21st.

NATO is also reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an IED attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Monday, November 21st.


Iran uncovers CIA informants - Sort of an off topic article but it is about the world wide war on terror and enlightening read if factual. – whisker

China’s news agency Xinhuanet for western audiences has a pictorial on there new stealth fighter plane the J-20. Just in case anyone is interested here’s the link.


Reported security incidents

Baghdad:
#1: Four Iraqi army personnel were wounded when a roadside bomb went off near an army patrol in central Baghdad, a police source said.

"An explosive charge blew up close to Diwan Restaurant in Central Baghdad's Saadoun Street on Tuesday morning, wounding 2 policemen, 2 Army men, an Army officer and a acivilian," the Security source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency, adding that that the injured persons were driven to a nearby hospital for treatment.

#2: An Iraqi soldier was killed and a civilian wounded when a bomb attached to a vehicle went off near a security checkpoint in Baghdad's eastern Sadr City district, police and hospital sources said.


Kirkuk:
#1: The body of a government employee was found in southern Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad, a local police source said.


Mosul:
#1: Police shot dead a would-be suicide bomber before he had a chance to detonate his explosive vest at a security checkpoint in western Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, a local police source said.

#2: Armed men killed an off-duty soldier inside his house in eastern Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, a local police source said.

#3: A roadside bomb wounded one soldier when it went off in eastern Mosul, police said.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: At least four Afghan civilians have been killed and three others wounded after their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan, Press TVreports. The incident took place in Alingar district of Laghman province early Tuesday.

#2: One policeman was killed when a small bomb exploded outside a girls' school in the northwestern town of Mardan, local police officials said. Three policemen and four bystanders were wounded.

#3: The Pakistani army and Frontier Corps shelled militant positions in central Kurram, near the towns of Dogar and Morghan Sunday night, killing 11 militants and wounding 25, a military official said. In the last week, militants had killed five soldiers and wounded 10 more, the official said. In that same time, around 100 militants had been killed. There was no independent confirmation of the attack, and militants often dispute official government accounts.

#4: Two Pakistani officers and 20 militants were killed when security forces clashed with militants in the Khadezai area of northwestern Orakzai tribal region, security officials said. Officials added that another 15 militants were killed in the same area by Pakistani gunship helicopters brought in to support ground troops.

#5: At least five people including three policemen and two local militiamen were killed in a bomb attack reportedly targeting a convoy carrying Chinese engineers and workers on the way to the work site in the Sui area of Balochistan in southwest Pakistan on Tuesday, reported local Urdu TV channel AJJ, adding no Chinese were killed or injured in the attack.


DoD: Lance Cpl. Joshua D. Corral

MoD: Private Thomas Christopher Lake

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/usmilitary-presence-will-continue-in-iraq/2011/11/18/gIQAJAWBjN_print.html

How can a President come to speech and say that hole crap about withdrawing from iraq, etc etc, well I guess thats obama´s way, right????

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