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, November 30, 2013

War News for Saturday, November 30, 2013


AIDS epidemic rapidly spreading in Pakistan


Reported security incidents
#1: Police say one policeman was killed when armed men opened fire on police officers protecting a team of polio-vaccination workers in northwest Pakistan on November 30. The attack happened near the city of Peshawar. Another policeman was injured.

#2: Three armed militants were killed and two civilians sustained injuries as police clashed with armed group in Khanabad District of the northern Kunduz Province Saturday, a local official said. "A group of armed men were illegally collecting taxes from drivers on a road in Khanabad District, and when police wanted to arrest them, clash erupted leaving three armed rebels dead," district governor Hayatullah Amiri told Xinhua. One driver and a passerby sustained injuries during the firefight, which lasted for a while, he added.

#3: Explosion and ensuing firing took place in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province Friday evening and casualties are feared, officials said.

At least three Afghan intelligence forces were killed or injured following a suicide attack in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan late Friday evening. Local officials in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan confirmed the report and said the blast took place late Friday evening in Amniat-e-Millie – National Directorate of Security (NDS) road. Provincial governor spokesman, Omar Zwak said at least one Afghan intelligence operative was killed and two others were injured following a suicide attack near the national directorate of security (NDS) directorate.

#4: According to local authorities in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan, Pakistani military opened artillery fire at a number of areas in Shegal district late Friday. Provincial security chief, Abdul Habib Syed Khel said at least 20 rounds of artillery shells were fired by Pakistani military late Friday night. Mr. Syed Khel further added that no casualties were reported following the cross-border shelling, however the shelling caused property damage to the local residents.

#5: According to local authorities in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, a US drone has crashed in Chaparahar district on Saturday afternoon.

#6: According to local authorities in western Herat province of Afghanistan, Taliban shadow district governor for Shindand was killed during a military operation by Afghan special forces. A local security official in Adraskan district confirmed the report and said seven other militants were also killed during the operation. A spokesman for the Afghan special forces in Herat province said the operations were launched after a vehicle of the Afghan national army commando forces was ambushed by Taliban militants.

Posted by whisker at 4:40 AM

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