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


Thursday, July 18, 2013

War News for Thursday, July 18, 2013


Car bomb explodes outside mosque in Bahrain

Pakistan deny airspace violation by NATO helicopters


Reported security incidents
#1: An Afghan boy, 12, was killed by his own bombs as he attempted to attack a convoy of Afghan and NATO troops, a Ghazni, Afghanistan, security chief said. Provincial security chief Haji Asadullah confirmed the boy had explosives on his bicycle, which detonated while a convoy of troops. Asadullah added a police officer was injured, but Afghan and coalition troops did not suffer casualties.

#2: Eight Afghan labourers who were on their way to work at a US military base in Logar province have been shot dead, local officials say. The men, aged between 15 and 25, were in a van when they were stopped by gunmen, forced out and shot, a local government spokesman said. The attack took place in the early hours of Thursday morning in the Pad Khwab area of Logar's capital, Pol-e-Alam.

#3: At least two soldiers of paramilitary Frontier Corps were killed and three others injured Thursday when armed men ambushed their vehicle in north-west Pakistan's restive tribal region, officials said. The gunmen attacked the vehicle carrying soldiers in Kamar area of Bajaur, one of the seven tribal districts, where al Qaeda linked militants have hideouts. An official from office of the political agent, the civilian administrator of the district, said that the FC was on routine patrol in the suburbs of the district headquarter Khar, when the incident occurred. "Two soldiers were killed and three injured in the attack," said the official.

#4: AN Australian Special Forces soldier has been wounded during an operation in Afghanistan. The soldier suffered fractures and concussion during an unspecified incident last week but the injuries were not life-threatening, Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant General Ash Power said.

#5: A main transmission line was damaged by miscreants in Balochistan overnight, resulting in suspension of electricity to 18 districts of the province, local tv reported.

#6: Seven Afghan national army soldiers were killed following roadside improvised explosive device (IED) and militants attacks during the past 24 hours across the country. Afghan defense ministry in a statement on Wednesday confirmed that seven Afghan national army soldiers were killed in various provinces of Afghanistan during the past 24 hours. The statement further added that the national army soldiers were killed in IED and Taliban militants attacks in Logar, Ghazni and Helmand provinces of Afghanistan.

 

US/DoD: Staff Sgt. Sonny C. Zimmerman

Posted by whisker at 4:24 AM

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