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


Friday, December 21, 2012

War News for Friday, December 21, 2012


Statement of Defence Ministry of Georgia


Reported security incidents
#1: At least four people were killed and six others injured on Friday when a bomb blast rocked Pakistan 's northwestern tribal region of South Waziristan, local media reported. Eyewitness told media that the bomb exploded with a big bang as it killed four people on the spot including the militant commander and his two companions while injuring six others. Earlier reports said that three people were killed and 21 people injured in the blast in North Waziristan area but later security official told media that four people were killed and only six injured in South Waziristan.
#2: Five civilians and two policemen were killed when a bomb hit a police mobile in Zaranj, the provincial capital of southwestern Afghan Nimroz province, police said. "A police unit was on routine patrol in police district 3 of Zaranj city at about 3:30 p.m. (local time) when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was detonated through a remote control device, killing two policemen and five civilians near the scene," police chief of the district Abdul Haq said. He said two policemen were also wounded in the attack and the police mobile was destroyed in the incident in the province 790 km southwest of Kabul.

#3: At least three persons were reportedly killed on Friday in a U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan, an area bordering Afghanistan. According to officials, the unmanned aircraft fired two missiles on a house in Asukhel area of Mir Ali, killing three people on the spot and turning the house into debris.

#4: A suspected US unmanned drone crashed in Kaza Panga area of South Waziristan late on Thursday. According to the media reports, a drone was heard in the area buzzing above in the skies when it crashed with a loud bang which was followed by silence.

Posted by whisker at 4:44 AM

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