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


Sunday, July 14, 2013

News of the Day for Sunday, July 14, 2013

ISAF says 5 taliban killed in an airstrike in Paktia. The Afghan provincial police chief says in fact 12 were killed.

Two children lose their legs to a roadside bomb in Kandahar province. As is often the case, Wakht news agency report is written in broken English. Arghistan (which they spell Arghustan), is not a province, but a village south of Kandahar province.

Two men planting mines are killed by an ISAF airstrike in Kandahar province.

A Turkish truck driver kidnapped April 16 on his way to Mazar-e Sharif has been released. He was handed over to a Turkish provincial reconstruction team in Jawzjan. The story does not say whether any ransom was paid or other concessions made.

UK newspaper the Mail reports that Prince Harry witnessed a war crime by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Really. Excerpt:

Prince Harry was no more  than 220 yards away when a US trooper standing aboard an armoured vehicle cocked a .50 calibre machine gun and fired successive bursts at Afghan shepherds tending their goats, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The shocking incident, which  was confirmed last night by the Ministry of Defence, triggered a war crimes investigation by US military police. It took place on Harry’s first frontline tour of Afghanistan, which, until today, has been shrouded  in secrecy. . . .

 According to a British eye- witness the three shepherds were peacefully minding their own business when they were engaged. Given the force of the heavy machine gun rounds it is likely  they suffered serious or fatal  injuries, though their bodies were never recovered.
This would have happened in 2007. Note that although the story says the M.P.s investigated,  I am unaware that anyone has been prosecuted for this murder, nor that any investigation has been publicly acknowledged. I wonder if the U.S. corporate media will bother to report this? -- C


 


Posted by Cervantes at 4:44 AM

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