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


Monday, January 27, 2014

War News for Monday, January 27, 2014


Official: U.S. airstrike in Somalia targets suspected militant leader

Afghanistan Exit Is Seen as Peril to Drone Mission


Reported security incidents
#1: A pipeline, carrying natural gas, was blown up in Balochistan's Dera Bugti district, south west of Pakistan, disrupting the gas-supply to the Sui plant from well number 15 in Pir Koh gas field.

#2: At least two militants were killed in a blitz carried out by Pakistan’s military in Mirali area of North Waziristan tribal region on Monday. Military gunship helicopters shelled suspected militant hideouts in several areas of Mirali in North Waziristan region, killing two militants and wounding several others.

#3: Six children from the same family were killed and one injured Sunday while playing with a hand grenade in northwest Pakistan, officials said.

#4: A policeman more allegedly affiliated with insurgents shot dead five of his colleagues and managed to escape the post in western province of Herat, security officials said Monday. The five were killed by their colleagues in Kashk-e-Kuhna district late on last day.

#5: Few mints ago a blast hit Jalalabad capital of Nangrhar province. According to reports the blast occurred close to the medicine faculty of Nangarhar University. Gulestan Ghalib BNA reporter reported, the area was blocked by security forces and it was not allowed to reporters to enter the area. So far there is no any exact figure about the number of casualties of the incident.

#6: About six Afghan civilians were killed and 13 others wounded Sunday when a bus carrying civilians set off a roadside bomb in the country' s southern province of Helmand, a provincial government spokesman said Monday.

#7: An Afghan national army (ANA) soldier was killed following an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in southern Afghanistan Afghanistan.

#8: In the meantime, Gen. Zahir Azimi said several anti-government armed militants were killed during a special military operation by Afghan army soldiers in Syedabad district of Maidan Wardak province.

#9: At least two Afghan police officers were killed following an explosion in eastern Khost province of Afghanistan on Sunday.

Posted by whisker at 3:36 AM

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