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, March 3, 2012

War News for Saturday, March 03, 2012

The DoD is reporting a new death previously unreported by the military. Cpl. Conner T. Lowry died during combat operations in an undisclosed location in Helmand province on Thursday, March 1st. News reports that he was a victim of a roadside bombing.


Taliban infiltration sophisticated: Afghan Army

US motives behind the CACI programme

Pakistan Battles Militants, in Worst Fighting in Months


Reported security incidents
#1: A suicide bomber on a motorcycle attacked a NATO convoy in Afghanistan’s southern province of Kandahar on Friday, wounding seven people including four soldiers, an official has revealed. “A suicide attacker rammed his explosives-laden motorcycle into a NATO convoy in Dand district injuring four foreign soldiers, one policeman, one translator and one civilian,” the Daily Times quoted provincial governor Toryalai Weesa, as saying.

#2: Six armed insurgents were killed and four others detained during joint operations in two Afghan provinces, the country's Interior Ministry said on Saturday. "The Afghan National Police, Afghan army and International Coalition Forces launched three joint operations in Nangarhar and Badghis provinces killing six armed insurgents and detaining four others over the past 24 hours," the ministry said in a statement.

According to officials in the Ministry of Defense of Afghanistan, at least 7 Afghan National Army service members were injured. Afghan Defense Ministry following a statement said, at least 5 Afghan National Army soldiers were injured at Delaram district of western Nimroz province while 2 others were injured at Moqor district of western Badghis province.

#3: "Two more insurgents were killed by their own IED while they attempted to plant it in the Badpakh District of eastern Laghman province Friday night," according to the statement.

#4: A roadside bomb killed four civilians in a car in the Khogyani district of eastern Nangarhar province, the governor's office said in a statement.


DoD: Cpl. Conner T. Lowry

DoD: Staff Sgt. Jordan L. Bear

DoD: Pfc. Payton A. Jones

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