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 17, 2012

War News for Tuesday, April 17, 2012

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from a non-combat related injury in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Monday, April 16th.


Aussie troops to exit Afghanistan early: PM

U.S. readies for last major Afghan offensive

‘NATO fails’ as 18-hour Kabul attack ends

Afghan Assaults Signal Evolution of a Militant Foe

7 al-Qaida militants killed in U.S. drone strike in Yemen


Reported security incidents
#1: Two Afghan army soldiers were killed and four people injured Tuesday morning in a roadside bombing in southwestern Nimroz province, police said. "A bomb planted along a road near Dilaram District bazaar was detonated at around 8 a.m. local time when a vehicle of Afghan National Army (ANA) passed by, killing two ANA soldiers," deputy provincial police chief General Abdul Rahim Chakhansoori told Xinhua. The injured included two army soldiers and two civilians, he said, adding the injured have been admitted to a hospital in the district.

#2: Afghan defense ministry following a press release on Tuesday announced at least 4 Afghan national army soldiers were injured while conducting operations during the past 24 hours. The source further added, the soldiers were injured at Zherai district of southern Kandahar province however the statement did not disclose the cause of the incident.

#3: In a separate incident at least 2 Afghan police forces were injured following clashes with the armed militants at Khogyani district of eastern Nangarhar province. The incident took place after a number of armed insurgents ambushed members of the anti-drugs campaig at Memali area in Khogyani district.

#4: According to local authorities in eastern Khost province, an explosion took place inside a hospital belongint to Medecins Sans Frontieres in this province. Reports suggest at least 2 kids and 4 other have been injured following the incident. In the meantime provincial security chief Gen. Yaqoub Mandozi said, the incident took place after a mine which was planted inside the hosptial went off.


DoD: Staff Sgt. David P. Nowaczyk

Posted by whisker at 3:50 AM

1 comments:

Cervantes said...

About 150 schoolgirls were poisoned Tuesday after drinking water at their high school that was contaminated, Reuters reports. Local officials blamed the incident on radicals opposed to women attending school.

April 17, 2012 at 9:19 AM

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