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, February 15, 2014

War News for Saturday, February 15, 2014


U.S. Will Target Freed Afghan Militants Who Return To Fight

Pakistani anti-drone activist says he was tortured

Lessons learned? 25 years since Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan


Reported security incidents
#1: The Pentagon says that shortly after two U.S. soldiers were gunned down by two men wearing Afghan army uniforms in eastern Afghanistan, Taliban insurgents attacked the district center where the Americans had been operating. The scenario as described Friday by a Pentagon spokesman, Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, appeared to leave open the possibility that the machine-gun attack that killed the two Army Special Forces soldiers Wednesday was coordinated with the Taliban.

#2: One civilian was killed and eight injured Saturday by a suicide bomber in northern Afghanistan, police said. “The bomber targeted a police vehicle passing in Khan Abad district at 9:30 am (0500 GMT),” said Sayed Sarwar Hussaini, police spokesman for Kunduz province. Mr. Hussaini said the police officers were unhurt, but one civilian passerby died and eight others were injured.

#3: Unknown men blew up two power pylons of 220 KV transmission lines in suburbs area of Kohlu district on Saturday. According to police unidentified men had attached with explosive devices with two 220 KV electricity pylons which were exploded. The two pylons were badly damaged in explosions.

#4: At least 18 Taliban militants were killed or injured following coordinated military operations by Afghan national security forces.

#5: A helicopter belonging to the NATO-led coalition security forces conducted a precautionary landing in southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan on Friday afternoon. The Taliban militants group in Afghanistan claimed that the helicopter belonged to the US forces in Afghanistan and was shot down by Taliban fighters in Shahwali Kot district of Kandahar province.


DoD: Spc. John A. Pelham
DoD: Sgt. First Class Roberto C. Skelt

Posted by whisker at 4:00 AM

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)