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


Saturday, February 11, 2012

War News for Saturday, February 11, 2012

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an insurgent attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Friday, February 10th.


Two Westerners kidnapped in Pakistan held by Taliban

Hackers target CIA, Mexican, Alabama websites

Man Gets Life Term for Killing 2 U.S. Airmen in Germany

Informer Misled NATO in Airstrike That Killed 8 Civilians, Afghans Say

Mississippi soldier dies of medical condition in Afghanistan


Reported security incidents
#1: An Afghan government official says five policemen have been killed by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan. The deputy governor of Uruzgan province, Haji Khubirahim, says the policemen were patrolling in their vehicle when it hit a roadside mine in Chanartu district. He says one civilian also was wounded in the blast, which occurred early on Saturday morning.

#2: Militants fired two rocket-propelled grenades at a military airport in the town of Miranshah in the North Waziristan tribal region, near the Afghanistan border, security officials said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

#3: Afghan police backed by army and the NATO-led forces have killed three anti-government militants and captured 12 others over the past 24 hours during series of operations across the country, Interior Ministry said in a statement released here on Saturday. "During the past 24 hours, Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army and the international Coalition Forces launched six joint operations in Nangarhar, Parwan, Helmand, Nimroz, Ghazni and Khost provinces during which three armed insurgents were killed, two wounded and 12 others were arrested," the statement added.

#4: At least five people were injured in an attack on a police mobile in northwestern Pakistani district of Sawabi on Friday evening, reported local Urdu TV channel Dunya.

According to a statement issued by the ministry of defense of Afghanistan, at least 2 Afghan National Army service members were killed and four others were injured in Obe district of western Herat province. The statement further added, at least 2 other Afghan National Army service members were killed and injured in a separate incident at Khas district of eastern Kunar province.

Posted by whisker at 3:36 AM

2 comments:

Dancewater said...

In the story of the 8 civilians killed, there was one civilian who was 18.... the rest were children.

Another sad reflection on the evil of wars.

February 11, 2012 at 12:34 PM
Dancewater said...

Iraq has 65 executions in the first 40 days of 2012

Human Rights Watch is particularly concerned that Iraqi courts admit as evidence confessions obtained under coercion. The government should disclose the identities, locations, and status of all prisoners on death row, the crimes for which they have been convicted, court records for their being charged, tried, and sentenced, and details of any impending executions, Human Rights Watch said.

A Justice Ministry official confirmed to Human Rights Watch on February 8 that authorities had executed 14 prisoners earlier in the day. “You should expect more executions in the coming days and weeks,” the official added.

++++++++++

They are acting just like Saddam.

February 11, 2012 at 12:36 PM

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