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, August 22, 2012

War News for Wednesday, August 22, 2012



Reported security incidents
#1: An official says three grenades were thrown into a mosque compound during morning prayers in eastern Afghanistan, wounding at least nine worshippers. Wednesday's attack in Khost province comes a day after a series of bombs across Afghanistan killed 46 people. It was the deadliest day for civilians this year. The Khost police chief says one of the grenades exploded inside the mosque itself in Baghi Sara area. Two others landed in the courtyard outside and one of those failed to detonate. The police chief, Sardar Mohammad Zazai, blamed Taliban insurgents.

#2: Taliban militants group claimed that a number of a senior Taliban officials imprisoned in Kabul’s Pul-e-Charkhi jail, escaped from the prison. A spokesman for the Taliban militants group Zabiullah Mujahid following a statement claimed at least 15 senior Taliban leaders managed to break the jail and have escaped to a safe place.


DoD: Sgt. 1st Class Coater B. Debose

DoD: Sgt. David V. Williams

Posted by whisker at 3:03 AM

2 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
August 22, 2012 at 4:34 AM
Cervantes said...

Yes, we do moderate the comments.

Now, for something constructive, NYT reviews the war in Afghanistan as U.S. deaths pass 2,000.

August 22, 2012 at 9:42 AM

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