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


Saturday, August 31, 2013

War News for Saturday, August 31, 2013

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from a direct fire attack in an undisclosed location in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, August 31st.

The DoD is reporting what appears to be a new death unreported by the military. Sgt. 1st Class Ricardo D. Young died from a small arms weapon attack in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan on Wednesday, August 28th.


Reported security incidents
#1: A suicide bomber has killed 18 people after detonating explosives close to a police checkpoint in southern Afghanistan. Javed Faisal, a spokesman for the provincial governor, initially said the suicide bomber was in a car that was being searched by police, but later said new information indicated the bomber had been on foot. Along with the branch building of the New Kabul Bank, several small shops and vehicles were damaged.
 #2: Another 12 people were killed in an ambush involving a roadside bomb in Sangin district in Helmand province, also in the south, on Friday evening, said Omer Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor. Sangin is the scene of an ongoing operation by Afghan forces against the Taliban. Mr Zwak said 11 men and one woman died in the attack, and that the vehicle also was hit by several rounds of gunfire.

#3: A US drone targeted a vehicle in North Waziristan tribal agency on Saturday, killing four suspected militants said to be of Turkmen origin. According to local security officials and intelligence sources, the drone fired two missiles around 12:30 pm at a vehicle near a seminary in Hesokhel Musaki village in Mirali, around 40 kilometres east of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan which is said to be a stronghold of Taliban and al Qaeda-linked militants.

#4: Two commanders among ten militants were killed in Mand area of Balochistan on Saturday morning, official’s sources confirmed. Frontier Corps spokesman told that FC convoy was on routine patrolling when armed men ambushed them in dokob area of Mand district. The FC personnel repulsed the attack and shot killed ten miscreants while several others suffered injuries. Two militant commanders were among the dead, spokesman claimed.

#5: At least 16 Taliban militants were killed or injured following military operations in central Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan, local government officials said. Provincail government media office following a statement confirmed 16 militants were killed in separate incidents across Maidan Wardak province during the past 48 hours, and 10 others were arrested.


US/DoD: Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis

Posted by whisker at 5:20 AM

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