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


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

War News for Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Former News Sentinel staffer wounded in Afghan suicide bombing still in critical condition

Taliban Defend New Perch in Northern Pakistan, Gaining Sway as Election Nears


Reported security incidents
#1: The military authorities on Tuesday said they had launched a major military operation against the militants in the remote Tirah Valley of the restive Khyber tribal region in which 110 militants and 23 soldiers had been killed. “A major military operation was launched against the militants four days ago to dismantle their sanctuaries. In the four days of fighting, 110 militants and 23 Pakistan Army soldiers have been killed and dozens of militants injured,” a senior military official told The News.

#2: Gunmen shot to death a policeman protecting a team of female polio workers in northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, the latest in a series of attacks on people working on the U.N.-backed vaccination campaign, police said.

#3: According to local authorities in western Ghor province of Afghanistan, at least two NATO-led coalition security forces were injured after an Afghan security service member opened fire on them.
The officials further added, the incident took place on Tuesday in Cheghcharan city. Provincial governor spokesman Abdul Hai Khatibi confirming the report said the injured soldiers belongs to Lithuania. He said the incident took place after an Afghan soldier called on Lithuanian troops to stop their vehicles. According to Mr. Khatibi the Afghan soldier fired a rocket propelled grenade on the armored vehicle of the Lithuanian troops, injuring two of them.

#4: According to reports, US troops have attacked a civilian bus on Kabul-Herat highway at Adraskan district in western Herat province of Afghanistan on Wednesday. At least one civilian has reportedly been killed and another one has been injured following the incident. The incident took place after the civilian bus got close to the convoy of the US troops.

#5: According to local authorities in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan, at least 10 people were killed or injured following a roadside improvised explosive device blast in this province. The officials further added, the incident took place on Tuesday in Marjah district, killing at least five people and injuring five others.


DoD: Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Ward

DoD: Spc. Wilbel A. Robles-Santa

Posted by whisker at 4:02 AM

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