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, September 8, 2012

War News for Saturday, September 08, 2012

The British MoD is reporting the death of a British ISAF soldier at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, U.K. on Friday, September 7th. The soldier was wounded from unreported enemy action in the Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand Province, Afghanistan on Tuesday, August 14th.


Turkish troops kill 26 PKK rebels in major offensive

Kabul Unrest: Separate clashes reported in Pul-e-Surkh


Reported security incidents
#1: At least six civilians have been killed in a suicide blast near the heavily-barricaded Nato headquarters in Afghanistan's capital.  A suicide bomber detonated explosives near the heavily barricaded Nato headquarters in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul on Saturday killing six civilians, Nato and local officials said. The bomber, who was riding an explosives-laden motorcycle, blew himself up near the entrance of Camp Eggers, a Nato spokeswoman said, referring to a sprawling base that is home to 2,500 coalition personnel who train Afghan security forces. Unfortunately a suicide attack happened in front of the Italian embassy

#2: In Tirin Kot, the capital of Uruzgan province, two tribal elders were killed when a bomb exploded outside one of their homes. "A bomb placed at the entrance of Malik Abdul Majid's house killed him and another elder and wounded two of Majid's sons," said provincial spokesperson Abdullah Hemat.

#3: A roadside bomb in the Nahri Sarraj district of neighbouring Helmand province killed two women and wounded two others, the governor's spokesperson Farid Ahmad Farhang said


#4: Afghan police backed by the army have killed over a dozen Taliban militants and arrested five others over the past 24 hours, Interior Ministry said in a statement Saturday. "In the operations backed by the national army and the NATO- led troops in parts of several provinces including Kabul and the southern Helmand province, 14 Taliban rebels were killed and five others captured," the statement added. There were no casualties on the security forces, it added. However, Taliban militants fighting the government have yet to comment.

#5: According to local authoirities in southern Uruzgan province of Afghanistan, a heavy explosion took place in central Tarinkowt city in this province. The officials further added the incident took place early Saturday morning near the house of a local tribal elder. At least two people including Dr. Nematullah Khan the local tribal elder were killed following the blast. Malik Majid Khan was the other local tribal elder who was killed along Dr. Nematullah khan in today’s blast. Provincial governor spokesman confirming the report said the explosion also injured two sons of Dr. Nematullah and the health condition of one of them is critical.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

For those who are falling (again) for the lie and celebrating the decision of Obama not go into Iran, let´s make this clear.

First of all, Obama is by far the most skilled politician ever.

Obama haven´t said his intention about Iran,this is a news carefully planted in the media to ´see what happen´ - actually in the end it´s not Obama´s decision to go or not for Iran.

In fact I challenge Mr. Obama to come in public and deliberate say what he stands for.