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, January 28, 2014

War News for Tuesday, January 28, 2014


Reported security incidents
#1: Shelling by Pakistan Army’s gunship helicopters in North Waziristan tribal region’s Mir Ali area killed at least two suspected militants on Monday, official security source said. Gunship helicopters targeted several suspected militant hideouts in different areas on Mir Ali tehsil.

#2: In another incident, militants fired three rockets targeting Orakzai tribal region’s agency headquarters in Kalaya area. Separately, a policeman was killed and four others injured when an explosion targeted a police vehicle in the Gomal area of Tank district. A police mobile van was targeted with an IED. SHO Jameel Khan was killed in the explosion.

#3: A suicide bomber was shot dead by Afghan security forces before he manage to reach his target in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan.

#4: At least 17 Taliban militants were killed and 7 others were injured during joint military operations by Afghan national security forces.

#5: According to local authorities in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan, at least four children were killed following cross-border shelling from Pakistani soil in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan

Posted by whisker at 4:04 AM

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