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 13, 2012

War News for Saturday, October 13, 2012



Reported security incidents
#1: Kandahar provincial spokesman Ahmad Jawed Faisal said a suicide bomber on foot blew himself up on Saturday at an entry checkpoint for the national intelligence office in Maruf district. He said three intelligence officers were killed and four other officers were wounded.

#2: In neighboring Zabul province, twin explosions killed two policemen on Saturday morning. Provincial spokesman Shariullah Nasari said a police vehicle ran over a roadside mine and when other policemen went to assist those in the vehicle, another bomb went off. He said two policemen were killed and three others were wounded in the second blast.

#3: Up to 32 insurgents were killed, six wounded and six other detained in a series of military operation carried out in different districts and central parts of southern Kandahar province, an official said Saturday. Provincial police chief, Gen. Abdul Razeq told reporters that the operation had been launched by joint Afghan security forces backed by international troops in many districts and central part of the province.

#4: A suicide bomber in a car blew himself up at a market in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, killing at least 14 people, officials said. The target of the attack in the town of Darra Adam Khel appeared to be members of a pro-government militia created to fight Taliban militants, the officials said, adding that the death toll may rise because 25 people were wounded and several were in critical condition.

#5: Up to 11 militants have been killed and 40 others detained in the latest military operations in different Afghan provinces, authorities said Saturday. "Afghan police supporting by army and the NATO-led coalition forces carried out eight cleanup operations in Kapisa, Kunduz, Sar- e-Pul, Ghazni, Paktia, Farah and Helmand provinces, killing five armed Taliban militants and detaining 23 other armed Taliban within the past 24 hours," the Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement issued here. Three militants were also wounded in the above raids, it said, adding the police also found and seized weapons besides defusing four anti-vehicle mines. In addition, six Taliban militants were killed, three wounded and 17 others were captured during a special operation lunched by police in Mullah Khil village in Baghlan district, Baghlan province on Friday afternoon, an official with the interior ministry, Gen. Ghayor Andarabi, told Xinhua on Saturday morning. "A police officer named Mohammad Mujib with the special operation police force was also killed in the gunfight in the operation in the province some 160 km north of Kabul," Andarabi said, adding the militants were responsible for several attacks against security forces throughout the province.

#6: Up to nine civilians, including three children, were wounded on Friday in a gun battle between security forces and Taliban militants in eastern Ghazni province, the police said. "Armed Taliban insurgents launched attack against police checkpoints in Khak-e-Ghariban neighborhood, an area in western part of provincial capital Ghazni city at around 11 a.m. local time, but a Taliban mortar shell hit a house injuring nine innocent civilians," provincial police chief, Zarawar Zahid, told Xinhua.

#7: According to local authorities in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, several missiles were fired on Nangarahr airbase on Friday night. Provincial security chief spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqi confirming the report said at least 16 missiles were fired from Lalmai area in Behsud district. Mr. Mashqiri further added at least 10 missiles landed inside the airport while 6 others landed on the closer proximities of the airport.

#8: According to local authorities in eastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan a number of Taliban militants and Afghan civilians were killed following an airstrike by NATO-led coalition forces in this province. Mohammad Qasim Dasiwal Andar district chief in Ghazni province said, “NATO airstrike killed at least 4 Afghan civilians and 10 Taliban militants at Qala-e-Zarin area.” Mr. Dasiwal further added the air raid was carried out on Thursday night in Andar district which is one of the volatile regions in Ghazni province.

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