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


Sunday, November 11, 2012

News of the Day for Sunday, November 12, 2012

Roadside bomb in Khost kills a family of 6 who were just returning home from a maternity hospital with their newborn baby.

Explosion in Kandahar province kills a woman and child, injures 3 others, who were on their way to a wedding.

Two Afghan soldiers attack NATO troops in Badghis province, injuring one. The attackers are detained. Khaama has a somewhat different account of what appears to be the same incident. In this version, a single assailant attacks a Spanish Provincial Reconstruction Team, and the attacker is killed.

Afghan witnesses testify by video-link at a hearing to determine whether Staff Sgt. Robert Bales should face court martial for the murder of 16 civilians, including 9 children:

Rafiullah, a boy of 15 who spoke in Pashtun, said he was at home with his grandmother, Na'ikmarga, and his sister, Zardana, when a US soldier came. "He had rifle and a pistol," Rafiullah said of Bales. "He put a pistol in my sister's mouth and then my grandmother started to wrestle with him. At that time I ran out of the door ... My sister and I were running. As soon as he left the room, my grandmother ran too."

When asked what happened next, Rafiullah answered: "He shot my grandmother and then my sister, and then me. He shot me on my legs. Zardana was shot on her head."

U.S. soldier killed by roadside bomb on Saturday. No additional information as of now. (This story also reports civilian casualties described in links above.)

Veterans Day in the US coincides with "Remembrance Sunday" in the UK. I am seeing more stories about this occasion from the UK than I am from this side of the Atlantic. Unlike in the US, in Britain it is acceptable to raise questions on the day, rather than blindly supporting military adventurism. From Rachael Gribble:

Remembrance Sunday is an annual opportunity for the British public to pay their respects to those who have died during service to their country. By taking part in wreath laying ceremonies, observing two minutes silence at 11 am, or wearing a poppy, the public can express their appreciation for the role of the Armed Forces in ways that they might not wish or feel able to do at other times. This show of respect extends to those who have served, as donations to the Royal British Legion help provide support for ex-Service personnel through out the UK.
 As in previous years, this Sunday is likely to trigger discussions about the UK's continued military presence in Afghanistan, shaped by public doubts about the mission and the rising death toll amongst UK troops (particularly those resulting from caused by so-called 'green on blue' attacks). Also important are the mounting financial costs, which have reportedly led the Chancellor, George Osborne, to press senior military officers on why withdrawal from Afghanistan cannot happen earlier than scheduled, if not immediately.
 Australia also observes the day.







Posted by Cervantes at 5:24 AM

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