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, November 17, 2012

War News for Saturday, November 17, 2012


Reported security incidents
#1: Four policemen were killed in a clash with Taliban militants in the Worduj district of remote northern Badakhshan province, an official said on Saturday. Col. Asadullah, the district police chief, acknowledged the death of four policemen in the assault. In a counterattack, several insurgents were killed, but he gave no specific casualty figures.

#2: Eight insurgents were killed in a clash with security personnel in the eastern province of Laghman, officials said on Saturday. The clash erupted during a joint operation by Afghan security personnel and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) late on Friday on the outskirts of Mehtarlam, the capital of Laghman. Sarhadi Zwak, the governor’s spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News two policemen were wounded in the four-hour gunbattle in the Abuzai bridge area. The security personnel were inspecting locations for police checkpoints when the fighters attacked them, said the provincial police chief, Brig. Gen. Fazal Ahmed Sherzad.

#3: Afghan police have killed 11 Taliban fighters in a series of operations across the country over the past 24 hours, Interior Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. These operations have been conducted in Nangarhar, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Paktika, Paktiya, Helmand and Farah provinces, killing 11 Taliban militants and capturing 12 others. There were no casualties on the police personnel.

#4: Local authorities in southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan on Friday announced a number of Afghan civilians and security forces were killed or injured following coordinated blasts in Panjwai district today. The first incident took place in Shirwan village injuring an Afghan boy while he was moving his households. Panjwai district chief Haji Afzal Ahmad Ishaq confirming the report said a 15 year old Afghan boy was injured around 12:30 pm while he was shifting his households to his new house and struck with a roadside bomb. In a separate incident at least 2 Afghan local police officers were killed and 1 other was injured after their vehicle struck with a roadside bomb in Panjwai district. Meanwhile an Afghan national army soldier was injured after his vehicle struck with a roadside improvised explosive device in this district.


DoD: Staff Sgt. Rayvon Battle Jr.

Posted by whisker at 3:56 AM

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