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, August 12, 2013

War News for Monday, August 12, 2013

NATO is reporting the deaths of three ISAF soldiers from an insurgent attack in an undisclosed location in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, August 11th.


Defence announces end to combat duties in Afghanistan

Cholera outbreak infects over 1400 people in Badakhshan province


Reported security incidents
#1: At least four armed men were killed Monday in a search operation carried out by Frontier Corps (FC) personnel in Balochistan’s Bolan district. During the raid, an exchange of fire took place between militants and security personnel. Subsequently, four miscreants were killed, according to FC sources.

#2: The bomb planted near Carkhano market of Hayatabad has been defused on Monday here, Local tv reported.

#3: A roadside bomb struck a car in Charchino district of Uruzgan province 370 km south of Kabul on Sunday, killing three people and injuring two others, provincial police spokesman Farid Ayel said. "A mine planted by militants struck a civilian car at around 01: 00 p.m. local time today, killing two children and their father and injuring two others," Ayel told Xinhua.

#4: One police constable was killed and two others sustained injuries as police and Taliban militants came in contact in Baghlan Province, 160 km north of Kabul Sunday night, police said Monday. "The clash occurred in Baghlan-e-Markazi District late Sunday night when the Taliban rebels opened fire on police patrol, killing a constable and injuring two others," Sayed Mir, police chief of Baghlan-e-Markazi told Xinhua.

#5: At least 11 people were killed or injured following a string of explosions in southern Uruzgan province of Afghanistan.

Posted by whisker at 4:57 AM

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