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


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

War News for Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The DoD is reporting a new death previously unreported by the military. Tech. Sgt. Larry D. Bunn died from a non-combat related incident at an undisclosed base in Southwest Asia on Thursday, March 7th.
 
NATO is reporting the deaths of two USAFOR-A soldiers when ANA soldiers turned a weapon on U.S and ANA soldiers in an undisclosed base in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, March 11th. News reports that the ANA soldier fired a PK machine gun attached to an ANA vehicle killing two US special forces members, three Afghan policemen and three Afghan army commandos. Other news reported up to eight additional U.S. soldiers were wounded in the attack.


Erased US data shows 1 in 4 missiles in Afghan airstrikes now fired by drone

Afghan army to receive additional Mobile Strike Force Vehicles


Reported security incidents
#1: A helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan killed five service members with international security forces on Monday, according to an ISAF Joint Command statement. The cause of the crash is under investigation. There was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the incident, the statement said.

#2: In neighbouring Helmand province, a landmine detonated late on Monday under a tractor, killing four civilians, the Interior Ministry said.

#3: A mortar round also hit a house on Monday in Helmand, killing two civilians, it said.

#4: At least three people were killed and 18 others including two policemen injured in a suicide blast that occurred within the limits of Saddar police station in Bannu, Geo News reported. Police said the suicide bomber on a motorcycle targeted a police van.

#5: A policeman was killed while defusing a bomb without taking precautionary steps in Matni area here on Tuesday. According to police sources, police team reached at Adizai area of Matni after they received information pertaining to presence of a bomb in the area.

#6: A roadside bomb attack on Monday in the northwest restive tribal region killed three soldiers and wounded two others, officials said. A captain was killed along with two other soldiers when their vehicle hit an improvised bomb in Masuzai area of Kurram tribal district, a security official told AFP.

#7: According to local authorities in northern Parwan province of Afghanistan, at least two missiles were fired on US-run Bagram air base in Bagram district on Monday night. Bagram district security chief Zmarai Nasiri said two missiles landed inside the Bagram airfield last night. Mr. Nasiri further added no casualties or damage to the base have reported so far.

#8: In a separate incident at least five Taliban militants were killed and two others were injured following clashes with the Afghan security forces in northern Parwan province. A spokesman for the Afghan police forces in the north Ahmad Jawad said the incident took place after a number of Taliban militants attacked a security check post.


DoD: Tech. Sgt. Larry D. Bunn

Posted by whisker at 5:05 AM

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