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


Monday, May 28, 2012

War News for Tuesday, May 28, 2012

The DoD is reporting a new death previously unreported by the military. Pfc. Cale C. Miller died from an IED blast in Maiwand, Kandahar province, Afghanistan on Thursday, May 24th.

The DoD is reporting another new death previously unreported by the military. Cpl. Keaton G. Coffey died in combat operations somewhere in Helmand province, Afghanistan on Thursday, May 24th.
The DoD is reporting a third new death previously unreported by the military. Hospitalman Eric D. Warren, of Shawnee died from an IED blast in the Sangin district, Helmand province, Afghanistan on Saturday, May 26th.


West Point Is Divided on a War Doctrine’s Fate


Reported security incidents
#1: The U.S.-led NATO coalition in Afghanistan says one of its aircraft has crashed in the country's east, but no fatalities were reported. The coalition says it is trying to determine the cause of Monday's crash. Initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area. There were no reports of civilians being harmed or property damaged during the incident.



Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/28/4520825/afghanistan-nato-aircraft-crashes.html#storylink=cpy

#2: At least three people were killed and six others got injured when some unknown gunmen attacked a passenger van in Pakistan's northwest tribal district of lower Kurram on Monday morning, local media reported. According to the report by local Urdu TV channel Dunya, an unknown number of gunmen opened fire at a passenger van at about 10:00 a.m. (local time) in Char Khel area of lower Kurram, a restive tribal area at Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The van with some 20 passengers onboard was on the way from Peshawar to Parachinar, the headquarters of upper Kurram Agency, when it was attacked by unidentified militants.

#3: A U.S. drone attack early today killed at least five militants in a volatile northwestern Pakistan tribal region near the Afghan border, security officials said. The attack took place in Hassokhel town, 25 kilometres east of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan, which is a known strong-hold of Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militants. "The U.S. drones targeting a militant compound and a vehicle fired four missiles, killing five rebels," a Pakistani security official said. The compound came under attack for a second time after some 20 minutes, with U.S. drones firing four more missiles, he said.

#4: At least three people were killed and nine others, including a policeman, injured in a remote-controlled blast on Saryab Road on Sunday. Superintendent of Police (SP) Sikandar Tareen said explosives were planted underneath a donkey cart, while the target was a patrolling police van. He said unidentified men detonated the explosives when the patrolling vehicle of New Saryab Police Station passed by. Three passers-by – two onboard the donkey cart and rickshaw driver – were killed, while nine others, including a station house officer, sustained injures, he said.

#5: At least four militants, including a commander, were killed in an attack by security forces in the Sra Garhi area of Dabori, Upper Orakzai Agency, security officials said on Sunday. The clash erupted during early hours of Sunday when security forces advanced to clear the area of militants. An official of the security forces said that this area was a stronghold of the Gul Zaman group, the Orakzai chapter of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

#6: Afghan defense ministry following a statement on Monday announced at least 12 Afghan national army soldiers were killed or injured following roadside bomb explosion and militants attack during the past 24 hours. The source further added at least 6 Afghan soldiers were killed and 6 others were injured following militants attack at Laghman, Paktiya and Logar provinces of Afghanistan.

#7: In the meantime Afghan Interior Ministry following a separate statement announced at least 21 Taliban militants were killed during military operations by Afghan national police forces. The officials further Afghan police forces conducted 15 separate military operations in conjunction with the Afghan army, Afghan intelligence and coalition security forces at Kabul, Kunar, Nangarhar, Kunduz, Faryab, Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan, Maidan Wardak and Logar provinces of Afghanistan.


DoD:  Pfc. Cale C. Miller

DoD: Cpl. Keaton G. Coffey

DoD:  Hospitalman Eric D. Warren, of Shawnee

MoD: Captain Stephen James Healey

Posted by whisker at 4:01 AM

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