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


Wednesday, March 28, 2012

War News for Wednesday, March 28, 2012

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an IED attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Monday, March 27th.


Reported security incidents
#1: Afghan interior ministry officials following a press release on on Wednesday announced at least 14 armed militants were killed and 9 others were detained following military operations during the past 24 hours. The source further added, the militants were killed and detained during 8 separate military operations conducted by Afghan national police forces across the country. The operations were conducted by Afghan police in conjunction with the Afghan army, Afghan intelligence and NATO-led international coalition security forces at Laghman, Badakshan, Kandahar, Maidan Wardak, Logar, Khost, Paktika, Paktia and Uruzgan provinces of Afghanistan, the statement added. In the meantime, local security officials in northern Faryab province announced at least 7 armed insurgents were killed and 7 others were detained in this province. An Afghan army official said, the militants were killed and detained during an operation conducted by Afghan special forces and foreign troops at Khwaja Sabzposh district last night.

#2: International Security Assistance Force officials following a press release on Tuesday announced, an International Security Assistance Force aircraft made a precautionary landing in southern Afghanistan today. The source further added, initial reports indicate the cause of the incident was a mechanical malfunction and there were no reported casualties. The statement did not disclose further information regarding the exact location of incident.

#3: forces killed six suspected Taliban militants and arrested two others during an operation in Kunduz province 250 km north of capital Kabulon Wednesday, a local official said. "The operation was conducted at around 02:00 a.m. local time today in Khan Abad district. As a result, six suspected militants including group commander namely Mullah Habibullah, were killed and two others detained," said Habibullah Khan,police chief of Khan Abad district.

Posted by whisker at 4:18 AM

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