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


Friday, July 26, 2013

War News for Friday, July 26, 2013


Soldier from Mill City seriously wounded in Afghanistan

Taliban Claim Deadly Attack on Pakistani Spy Agency

Bombs, shootings kill 42 in Iraq

Afghan army launch major military offensive in Eastern Afghanistan


Reported security incidents
#1: The Taliban poisoned and captured at least 12 policemen as they broke their fast during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan in an attack in southern Afghanistan, officials said Thursday. The attack took place in Zabul province, where the insurgent militia is believed to have a strong presence despite numerous operations by Afghanistan's Western-backed government security forces. "Tragically, 12 policemen were poisoned and then taken away in a mini-van after breaking their fast yesterday evening in Shahjoy district of Zabul," Shah Nazanin, the district police chief, told AFP.

#2: At least two persons were killed and six others were injured when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) hit a pick-up van on Kurram tribal region's Sherko road on Friday. Political administration officials told Dawn.com that a passenger van was travelling from Kurrams tribal region's north-western Alizai area to Parachinar area when it was targeted by a planted road-side bomb.

#3: 22 mutilated dead bodies have been found from the area of Khyber Agency of tribal area. An official Political staff member of Khyber agency while taking to BBC has confirmed the recovery charred dead bodies, and said that these bodies were found yesterday night from the area of Akka Khel, few kilometers away from Bara Bazar. He said that it is still not confirmed that who are these persons and who has killed them, however it seems that they have been killed during operation.

#4: Gunmen killed four people, including a Levies constable, in the Khuzdar district of Balochistan on Thursday. Muhammad Ali, a Levies official, told a private TV channel that militants, who had already taken up positions on a roadside, opened fire on a vehicle near Gazgi Chowki area of Khuzdar. He said the targeted vehicle was carrying Levies officials, who were bringing injured from an earlier firing incident to the District Headquarters Hospital Khuzdar.

US/DoD: 1st Lt. Jonam Russell

US/DoD: Sgt. Stefan M. Smith

US/DoD: Spc. Rob L. Nichols

Posted by whisker at 4:43 AM

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