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, September 21, 2013

War News for Saturday, September 21, 2013


U.S. kills unarmed civilians in AF-PAK region in droves


Reported security incidents
#1: At least eight civilians have been reportedly wounded in a bomb blast that hit a bazaar in Charbolak district of the northern Balkh province in Afghanistan. Spokesman for provincial government, Farhad Munir said that the explosive device was planted on a motorbike and went off in the bazaar of Charbolak district.

#2: A Taliban-designated district chief has been killed along with three associates in the eastern province of Kunar, an official said on Saturday. Juma Khan, the Taliban’s head for Ghaziabad district, died in an overnight drone strike in the mountainous area called Aigal, the provincial police chief said.

#3: An explosion has been reported in northern Balkh province of Afghanistan. The incident took place early Saturday morning in Chahar Bolok district after a suicide bomber detonated his explosives. Local residents and eyewitnesses in the area saying at least 13 people have been killed or injured following the blast.

#4: An explosion was reported in capital Kabul late Friday night. The blast reportedly took place in Shah Shahid area of capital Kabul after a magnetic bomb went off. According to reports the explosive device was planted in a police Ranger vehicle. There are no reports regarding the casualties as a result of the incident.

Posted by whisker at 5:27 AM

2 comments:

Cervantes said...

Another so-called Insider Attack. " An Afghan wearing a security forces uniform turned his weapon against foreign troops Saturday, killing three in eastern Afghanistan, NATO and Afghan officials said, in another apparent attack by a member of the Afghan forces against their international allies.

The shooting took place in Gardez, capital of eastern Paktia province, Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, an Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman, said. The area, near the border with Pakistan, has been a front line in fighting with the Taliban and other militants. "

All foreign troops in Gardez are USA.

September 21, 2013 at 12:05 PM
Dancewater said...

and more than 60 innocent people killed in Iraq today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24190728

the evil the US government visited on Iraq goes on forever....

September 21, 2013 at 1:22 PM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)