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


Friday, June 8, 2012

War News for Friday, June 08, 2012

The DoD is reporting the death of an American ISAF soldier. Pfc. Vincent J. Ellis died at Landstuhl, Germany Monday, June 4th. from a small arms fire/IED attack on Forward Operating Base Salerno, Khost province, Afghanistan on Friday, June 1st.
 
NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an IED attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, June 7th.


Suicides are surging among U.S. troops

Saddam Hussein aide executed in Iraq

As Al Qaeda Loses a Leader, Its Power Shifts From Pakistan

DOD Identifies Units for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation


Reported security incidents
#1: At least 14 prisoners, including insurgents, are still at large after militants attacked a jail in the Afghan province of Sar-e Pol, officials say. Three inmates were killed and 28 injured in gun battles between prison guards and Taliban fighters late on Thursday night. About 30 prisoners fled but officials say they have recaptured 16. A powerful blast reportedly blew a hole in a prison wall shortly after darkness fell. The militants then launched a co-ordinated attack from three directions, local media report.

#2: Army Pfc. Adam Zitzer, 20, of Sheboygan, and serving in the 4-73rd Cavalry Task Force 3 Fury Bravo Troop, was wounded in Afghanistan late Wednesday night when a roadside bomb exploded by his troop's Humvee. 12 people were wounded in the blast, but no one was killed. Zitzer's Humvee was second in his unit and took the brunt of the explosion.

#3: A convoy of 15 World Food Programme (WFP) trucks carrying humanitarian food supplies intended for schoolchildren was attacked by unknown assailants in Sheikh Ali district of Parwan province on the afternoon of Monday, 4 June. All of the contracted drivers are safe and accounted for, but three of the trucks and their contents were burned.

#4: A Walla Walla soldier based out of North Carolina was killed Wednesday in an attack in Afghanistan, his family said. First Lt. Mathew "Mat" Fazzari was killed by enemy fire while flying in his first tour in Bagram. Few details were available Thursday morning. The Department of Defense had yet to post information about the attack. The son of Greg and Susan Fazzari, he had been flying a helicopter on a surveillance mission, his mother said in an email. Fazzari was reportedly part of a scout team of engaged Kiowa Warriors, according to a blog post written by another pilot. Fazzari and a fellow pilot were reportedly flown to Forward Operating Base Ghazni — a Polish base with the nearest medical facility on the Ghazni province.

#5: At least 14 people were killed and over 36 injured in a blast that took place in Peshawar on Friday, DawnNews reported. The blast occurred in the city’s Gulbela area on Charsadda road targeting a bus of government employees. The bus, travelling from Peshawar to the nearby town of Charsadda, was completely destroyed in the explosion.

#6: According to reports Taliban militants on Thursday evening attacked the convoy of Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq Afghan parliament member. The incident took place in Maidan Wardak province in close to central Bamiyan province of Afghanistan. The exact location of the incident is unknown however reports suggest at least 4 security guards of Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq was injured following the incident. In the meantime Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq was flown out of the Bamiyan after his house was attacked by unknown gunmen in this province last night.


DoD:  Pfc. Vincent J. Ellis

4 comments:

Dancewater said...

NATO apologizes for murdering children AGAIN

god damn sociopaths..... their apologies mean NOTHING and all they care about is KILLING MORE POOR PEOPLE.

the kind of poor people who live in mud huts....

Celine Luggage bags said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
rob said...

we need a Today in Syria as the conflict widens?

Anonymous said...

@dancewater- shit happens in war. Troops were engaged in a firefight. U werent there to know what happened.