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


Saturday, May 19, 2012

War News for Saturday, May 19, 2012

US 'non-NATO' supply trucks cross Torkham

National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of May 15, 2012


Reported security incidents
#1: Militants carried out two grenade attacks in Sopore town and Batamaloo area of Kashmir today, leaving seven persons injured, including four policemen. The ultras lobbed a grenade at the Sopore Police Station, 52 km from here, at 9.55 a.m, police said. The grenade exploded at the main gate of the police station, leaving seven persons injured.

#2: In another attack within three hours, the ultras lobbed a grenade at a police picket in the busy Batamaloo area in the city, the police said. The grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the roadside, they said, adding no one was hurt in the incident.

#3: Afghan security forces in conjunction with the NATO-led troops eliminated 11 Taliban militants in Pakitka province 155 km south of capital Kabul on Friday night, spokesman for provincial administration Mukhlis Afghan said on Saturday. "Security forces backed by NATO-led forces' aircrafts raided Taliban hideouts in Sarawza district Friday night killing 11 rebels," Afghan told Xinhua.

#4: A suicide bombing rocked a town in Khost province on Saturday leaving six people including the bomber dead, a local official said.

#5: According to a statement released by Afghan defense ministry, at least 4 Afghan soldiers were killed and 7 others were injured in various incidents across the country during the past 24 hours. The statement further added at least 2 Afghan soldiers were killed at Bala Buluk district of western Farah province while 2 other soldiers were killed in Kapisa and Helmand provinces of Afghanistan. Afghan defense ministry officials also said six Afghan soldiers were injured in Farah province, 2 in southern Helmand province and 1 in eastern Kapisa province.

Posted by whisker at 4:32 AM

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