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, April 10, 2012

War News for Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The DoD is reporting the death of a U.S. sailor. Constructionman Trevor J. Stanley died from unreported causes in Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, on Saturday, April 7th. He was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.


No sign of spring offensive by Taliban, NATO says

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark: What the End of U.S. Night Raids Means for Afghanistan

Pakistan likely to get around 20% more gas from TAPI pipeline project


Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2111561,00.html#ixzz1rdPXN6Jz


Reported security incidents
#1: Police fired at the attackers, killing one. Two others blew themselves up inside the compound, Ahmadi said. He initially reported that eight policemen died but later revised the toll, saying that four policemen were killed and five, including the district commander, were wounded.

#2: Earlier in the day, a group of suicide bombers blew up their truck outside the Guzara district office in Herat province. Two men and a woman wearing a burqa were found dead inside the vehicle that exploded at the gate of the district building where people were waiting to go inside to see government officials about various business matters. Raouf Ahmedi, a spokesman for the police commander of the western region of Afghanistan, said police in the area had received a tip that the black four-wheel-drive vehicle was loaded with explosives. "They were chasing the car and tried to stop it," Ahmedi said. "The vehicle then turned toward the district headquarters building and tried to pass the checkpoint, but police stopped them to be searched and asked where they were going." Moments later the vehicle exploded, causing a loud boom that could be heard a few miles away. "The explosion was so strong - there are casualties among police and civilians," said Nasar Ahmad Popul, the chief of the province's Guzara district who was inside the headquarters at the time of the blast. Ahmedi said 11 people were killed - three policemen who were guarding the district building and seven civilians. Twenty-two others were wounded,


DoD: Staff Sgt. Tyler J. Smith

DoD: Constructionman Trevor J. Stanley

MoD: Corporal Jack Leslie Stanley

Posted by whisker at 4:24 AM

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