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, April 27, 2012

War News for Friday, April 27, 2012

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an ANA soldier in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, April 26th. News reports than an Afghan soldier killed a U.S. soldier and an Afghan interpreter from small arms fire/machine gun fire somewhere in Kandahar province. Three additional soldiers were wounded in the attack and the afghan soldier was also killed.

NATO is reporting the deaths of three ISAF soldiers from an IED blast in an undisclosed location in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, April 26th. News reports that at least one additional soldier was wounded in the attack.


Taliban Website Hacked As Afghan Cyberwar Heats Up

A cost of war: Soaring disability benefits for veterans

Afghanistan, Iran agree to prisoner swap

OBL’s Family Finally Deported

US-Pak talks fail to break the stalemate

The Economist: Mission crumble

Afghan, Pakistani, U.S. diplomats open trilateral talks on peace process

Reduction of 500 Service personnel from Afghanistan explained


Reported security incidents


DoD: Spc. Manuel J. Vasquez

DoD: Spc. Benjamin H. Neal


Posted by whisker at 3:29 AM

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