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


Thursday, December 13, 2012

War News for Thursday, December 13, 2012


Swedish woman shot in Lahore passes away in Sweden

NATO scales back joint Afghan operations


Reported security incidents
#1: A police constable was killed in a firing incident in the city’s suburban area. According to police, constable Riaz, a resident of Multan, was on security duty at gate-1 of Chohang Training School, when armed motorcyclists opened indiscriminate fire and fled away.

#2: A driver was killed and two police officers wounded as their vehicle come under fire from unidentified gunmen in Belandab district of southern Herat province, an official said Thursday.

#3: Unknown gunmen carried out armed attack on a senior security official in western Herat province of Afghanistan early Thursday morning. Ali Ahmad Dashti a local security official in western Herat province of Afghanistan said Gen. Abdul Rasheed operational chief for 606 Ansar security commandment in western Afghanistan was ambushed by unknown gunmen. Mr. Dashti said the attack took place while Mr. Rasheed was on his way towards his office. He said the assailant militants also started armed clashes with the security guards of Mr. Rasheed near his house, killing one of his guards. The assailant militants reportedly escaped from the area after the clashes. No group including the Taliban militants has so far claimed responsibility behind the attack.

Posted by whisker at 4:38 AM

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