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, April 18, 2012

War News for Wednesday, April 18, 2012

US, NATO ready plan to hand off Afghanistan combat

IDSA: The Battle for Kabul has Begun

Afghan Taliban appeal for donations -- This isn’t as much of a joke as it may appear glancing over it at first look. For the Taliban to resume control over Afghanistan after NATO leaves they will need big investment to reinstitute the infrastructure which they had emplaced before the war. – whisker

After nine years of detention: Iraq orders Saddam-era officials to be freed

Bin Laden widows, daughters face deportation from Pakistan



Reported security incidents
#1: International Security Assistance Force following a press release announced Afghan and coalition forces killed one insurgent and captured five suspects in eastern Afghanistan during operations throughout the past 24 hours, April 17. The source further added, Afghan Uniformed Police killed one insurgent armed with an AK-47 as he attempted to charge the police on his motorcycle in Auins district. The body was searched afterward and found to have an AK-47, filled magazines and a communication radio. Afghan National Security and coalition forces detained four insurgents found emplacing improvised explosive devises in Khugyani district, ISAF added. The detainees were enrolled in identification systems and are under custody of AUP.

#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.


DoD: Cpl. Aaron M. Faust

Posted by whisker at 3:06 AM

1 comments:

Cervantes said...

Some late-breaking news today. British soldier dies of wounds suffered on April 11. And, of course, more photos of U.S. troops posing with dead Afghans and grinning. When the army of a major power is this undisciplined, the game is over.

April 18, 2012 at 8:22 AM

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