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, December 8, 2012

War News for Saturday, December 08, 2012


Reported security incidents
#1: A bomb exploded near an Afghan army patrol Saturday in the country's eastern Khost province, killing two civilians and wounding nine others, a statement issued by the provincial government said. "A bomb went off near an army unit patrolling in the main bazaar in Bak district at around 12:08 p.m. local time, killing two innocent civilians and injuring five civilians and four army personnel," the statement said blaming Taliban insurgent for the attack in the province 150 km southeast of capital Kabul bordering Pakistan.

#2: According to local authorities in eastern Khost provnce of Afghanistan, Taliban militants ambushed a convoy of NATO-led coalition security forces in this province. Gen. Abdul Qayoum Baqi provincial security chief confirming the report said the incident took place in western part of Khost province. He did not disclose further information regarding the incident.

Posted by whisker at 4:38 AM

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