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


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

War News for Wednesday, October 23, 2013


Royal Marine executed captured Afghan, court martial hears

Inside Afghanistan's army officer academy

U.S. Officer Says Taliban Will Fight This Winter


Reported security incidents
#1: Two Pakistani security personnel were injured in rockets shelling from the Afghan side of the border on Tuesday, state radio reported. Quoting officials, radio Pakistan reported that three rockets were fired from the Afghanistan side on a security forces' check post in the Bajaur tribal region.

#2: At least two civilians were killed and three other wounded, when the Taliban fighters fired mortars on a house in eastern Nangarhar province, an official said Wednesday. Governor spokesman, Ahmad Zia Abdalzai told Wakht News Agency that two members of a house were killed and three others wounded last night, when the Taliban’s fired mortars missed military posts and landed a house in Hesarak district.

#3: Afghan police backed by the army and the NATO-led coalition forces have killed four dozen Taliban militants across the country over the past 24 hours, Interior Ministry said in a statement released here on Wednesday.

#4: According to local authorities in northern Parwan province of Afghanistan, at least 2 Afghanistan national army soldiers were killed and 8 others were injured following militants attack.

Posted by whisker at 4:21 AM

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