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, March 12, 2014

War News for Wednesday, March 12, 2014


Canada wraps up 12-year military mission in Afghanistan


Reported security incidents
#1: Afghan police officials say three insurgents tried to storm the former intelligence service headquarters in the southern city of Kandahar, prompting a fierce gun battle with security forces that left the attackers dead. Deputy police chief Rahmatullah Atrafi says the three men assaulted the former headquarters in the heart of the city early on Wednesday.

#3: Two people were killed on Wednesday in gunfire in Bannu, a private news channel reported. One of the two victims was a personnel of Frontier Corps (FC). According to police, the two victims, who were brothers, were attacked by unidentified men in the area of Hoyad Police Station in Janikhel.

#3: At least three polio vaccinators were killed following an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan. According to local government officials, the incident took place Tuesday at midday near Sangin district after their vehicle struck with the improvised explosive device (IED).

Posted by whisker at 4:28 AM

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