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, October 6, 2012

War News for Saturday, October 06, 2012



Reported security incidents
#1: At least five persons were killed in clashes between (Aman Lashkar) volunteers of a pro-government tribal militia and militants in the Aka Khel area of Bara Tehsil of Khyber Agency. Security officials said that a group of militants had attacked the peace lashkar volunteers at the Akakhel area of Bara early in the morning on Saturday, killing five members. Later, the peace lashkar went on a retaliation hunt and shot dead six militants.

#2: Three insurgents planning to carry out suicide attacks were killed Friday in a joint Afghan-NATO military operation in the central province of Maidan Wardak, an official said on Saturday.

#3: A junior commissioned officer of the Frontier Corps was killed and a soldier injured as a result of alleged firing by personnel of Afghan security forces in border areas of Mohmand Agency. Officials said personnel of Afghan security forces opened fire at personnel of Pakistani security forces at Gorapari checkpost in Baezai area of Mohmand Agency late on Thursday. A subedar (junior commissioned officer) of Frontier Corps was killed and a soldier injured. In retaliation, the security forces also started firing on their counterparts from Afghanistan, forcing them to cease fire.

#4: 9 Taliban rebels were killed in NATO air attack in Kandahar province this morning. These rebels were targeted by air forces of NATO in Panjwai district and killed. BNA quoting from NATO press statement said, nine armed Taliban including their commanders were killed in this operation.

#5: Afghan police and army, backed by the NATO-led coalition forces, have killed 37 Taliban militants in six cleanup operations within the past 24 hours, the Afghan Interior Ministry said Saturday morning. "Another four armed Taliban insurgents were wounded and 31 others were arrested by the joint forces during the raids launched in Kabul, Faryab, Kandahar, Zabul, Wardak and Helmand provinces," the ministry said in a statement presenting morning operational updates to the media.


Posted by whisker at 4:29 AM

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