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, September 19, 2012

War News for Wednesday, September 19, 2012


Reported security incidents
#1: On Wednesday, a bomb hidden in a parked motorcycle exploded outside a police training center in western Afghanistan, killing two security guards, said Herat provincial police spokesman, Noor Khan Nikzad. He said six guards were also wounded in the explosion.

#2: A roadside bomb ripped through a passenger bus carrying Shiite Muslim pilgrims in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing at least two people and wounding about a dozen, officials said. The blast took place in Mastung district, about 25 kilometres south of Quetta, the capital of insurgency-hit Baluchistan province.
 
#3: A suicide bomber targeted NATO troops in a remote district of Afghanistan near the Pakistan border on Tuesday, wounding three Western soldiers and killing an Afghan civilian, officials said. A spokesman for the US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed the incident in Watapur district of Kunar province shortly before 5:00 pm (1230 GMT).

#4: Heavy clashes erupted between Afghan police forces and Taliban militant in Kamdish district of eastern Nuristan province early Wednesday morning. The clashes started around 4:30 am local time after several armed Taliban militants attacked Afghan police forces in this province. Provincial security chief Ghulamullah Nuristani confirming the report said a prominent Taliban leader Hayatullah was killed along with eight other Taliban militants during the clashes. Mr. Nuristani further added the clashes took place in government controlled areas after more than 1000 Taliban militants attacked Afghan police forces, and the fighting is still continuing in the area. He also said at least one Afghan police was killed and three others were injured following the incident.


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Posted by whisker at 3:34 AM

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