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, August 1, 2013

War News for Thursday, August 01, 2013


Investigation underway after Afghan boy is killed on firing range -- sounds like the range monitor needs to answer some questions -- whisker

Pilot error blamed for chopper crash that killed two Australians

12 soldiers hurt in Colorado lightning strike


Reported security incidents
#1: Afghan officials say a NATO helicopter mistakenly killed four Afghan troops in the east. Spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai says a NATO helicopter called in as air support following an attack on an Afghan checkpoint in eastern Nangarhar province's Bati Kot district accidentally killed four Afghan troops Wednesday night.

#2: In southern Uruzgan province, spokesman Farid Ayel says the Taliban ambushed local education official Hadi Khan, killing him, his two sons and a bodyguard on Wednesday afternoon.

#3: In northwestern Faryab province, Governor Ahmadullha Batash says a roadside mine exploded on Thursday, killing two policemen and a prosecutor, and wounding seven people in Bilchiragh district.

Two Afghan policemen were killed and eight others wounded on Thursday morning when a roadside bombing struck their vehicle in northern Faryab Province, said the deputy provincial governor. "Afghan National Police (ANP) personnel were travelling in an area in Bilchiragh District at around 9:00 a.m. local time. Their vehicle touched off an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). As a result, the district anti-criminal police chief Zahir Khan and an ANP cop were killed and eight policemen were wounded," Abdul Satar Bariz told Xinhua.

#4: On Wednesday evening, one Afghan Local Police (ALP) commander named Mujahid Khan along with his bodyguard was killed when an IED went off in Panjwahi District of southern Kandahar Province.

#5: Two oil tankers of a private firm were destroyed in an attack by gunmen near Balochistan’s Mastung area here on Thursday, Local TV reported.

#6: Police conducted a raid in Badaber area of Peshawar Thursday during which one suspected militant was killed and two others were arrested. On receiving a tip-off, police conducted a raid at a house in Peshawar’s Badaber area. As soon as the raiding party reached the locality, they were fired upon by militants. During the exchange of gunfire between police and militants, one suspect was killed whereas two others were arrested.:
 
#7: Mine planter had lost both his legs while planning to place a mine on the highway at the northern part of Khakriz district, where the explosives went off prior to target the security forces convoy, a statement said Thursday.

#8: One policeman and three militants were killed early Thursday morning when Taliban militants launched an attack on a police checkpoint in western Afghan province of Badghis, police said. "Several militants raided a police checkpoint along Badghis- Herat highway, triggering a gun battle lasting for hours at early Thursday morning. As a result one policeman and three militants were killed," the provincial police chief Sharafuddin Sharaf told Xinhua. He said two militants and two policemen were also wounded in the attack in the province 555 km northwest of national capital Kabul.

US/DoD: Spc. Nicholas B. Burley

Posted by whisker at 4:20 AM

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