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


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

War News for Tuesday, December 17, 2013


Pakistan stung by Iran pipeline blow

Pakistan's polio workers targeted for killing

Afghan army hands over check posts to Taliban in Helmand


Reported security incidents
#1: Unknown armed men set ablaze a NATO oil tanker in Wadh area of Khuzdar district on Tuesday. According to Levies force Afghanistan bound NATO oil tanker was on its way when gunmen riding a motorbike intercepted and set it on fire and fled.

#2: At least two Afghan border policemen were killed and four others along with two civilians injured when an explosive went off in southern province of Kandahar, an official said Tuesday. The incident happened in Wish Bazaar area near the border with the Pakistani, where an IED rugged bicycle blew up killing two Afghan border keepers and wounding four others, said police spokesman, Ziaurrahman Durrani. He also confirmed injury of two civilians as well.

#3: A blast occurred near the security forces convoy when it was passing through Mir Ali area of North Waziristan on Tuesday, Geo News reported. The sources confirmed the explosion and added that a remote-controlled bomb went off when the security personnel were passing through Mir Ali area today. However, fortunately no loss of life was reported.

Posted by whisker at 3:56 AM

2 comments:

Cervantes said...

Meanwhile, Iraq descends into the abyss, largely ignored by Americans. I presume Tom Friedman figures it will all work out in six months.

December 17, 2013 at 6:28 AM
whisker said...

Not to mention 6 dead in a helo crash in southern Afghanistan.

December 17, 2013 at 2:52 PM

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