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


Monday, April 15, 2013

War News for Monday, April 15, 2013


Record opium crop expected in Afghanistan as farmers return to planting illicit poppies

Afghan Interpreters for the U.S. Are Left Stranded and at Risk

Iraq bombings kill at least 25, wound more than 170


Reported security incidents
#1: A roadside bomb hit a tractor in southern Afghanistan on Monday, killing seven civilians and wounding four others, officials said. The tractor and trailer hit the anti-vehicle mine in the Mali Zai area of Zabul province, the ministry of interior said in a statement. “Seven civilians were killed and four other civilians were wounded.

#2: Local leader of an anti-Taliban political party has been killed in a roadside bomb attack by suspected Islamist militants in Pakistan's north-western Swat valley, media reports citing local officials said late on Sunday. According to officials, Mukarram Shah, local leader of the secular Awami National Party (ANP), was killed when his pick-up truck was struck by a roadside bomb near Mingora town. The deceased was alone when the explosion struck.

#3: At least four militants have been killed by a US drone strike on Sunday in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal belt, security officials said. The attack took place in Datta Khel town, 35 kms (22 miles) west of Miranshah, the main town in the lawless North Waziristan region which borders Afghanistan. The area is a stronghold of Taleban and al-Qaeda-linked militants. Six US drones flew over the area when one of them fired two missiles at a compound in the Manzarkhel area of the town.

#4: Unknown persons shot dead the driver of a Nato-Supply container here on Sunday, official sources said. The sources said that unknown person attacked in Tedi bazaar the container, carrying supplies for the Afghanistan-based US-led Nato forces. “The driver of the vehicle was killed when unknown gunmen sprayed the vehicle with bullets, killing the driver on the spot,” official sources said.

#5: Ten Taliban militants have been killed in separate military operations across Afghanistan over the last 24 hours, the country's Interior Ministry said Sunday afternoon. "Afghan National Police (ANP) supported by the army and the NATO-led coalition forces conducted several cleanup operations in Kunar, Zabul, Uruzgan, Khost, Paktia, Badghis and Helmand provinces over the past 24 hours. As a result 10 armed Taliban were killed and three other armed Taliban were arrested," the ministry said in a statement.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

any reports of the bomb that killed 30 at an afghan wedding on this day? I have only found one source, and a couple other links with the story had the story deleted or removed.

Anonymous said...

If you're referring to this: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-125820/US-bomb-kills-30-Afghan-wedding.html.

That was 13 years ago.

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