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


Wednesday, February 26, 2014

War News for Wednesday, February 26, 2014


Pakistan plans military operation in North Waziristan, targeting extremist groups

Trust Eroded, Obama Looks Beyond Karzai


Reported security incidents
#1: Afghan officials say a suicide car bomber killed seven people and wounded 42 in an attack on a crowded restaurant in the southern part of the country. Gen. Matiullah Khan, police chief of Uruzgan province, said the explosion took place Tuesday evening in Tirin Kot, southern Afghanistan.

#3: The Afghan Interior Ministry on Wednesday said that 37 militants were killed during security operations across the country within the last 24 hours.

#4: Earlier on Wednesday, a would-be suicide bomber was arrested and his suicide jacket was defused by police in northern province of Kunduz, the deputy provincial police chief Ebadullah Talwar told Xinhua, adding police launched an investigation into the case but the target of the attack remained unknown.

#5: Afghan intelligence operatives foiled coordinated attacks in western Ghor province of Afghanistan, National Directorate of Security (NDS) said Wednesday.

Posted by whisker at 3:26 AM

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