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


Thursday, April 3, 2014

War News for Thursday, April 03, 2014


Pakistan frees 16 Taliban prisoners in bid to revive peace talks

War and Unrest Provide for a Scarred Campaign Trail in Afghanistan


Reported security incidents
#1: A suicide bombing killed six policemen at the Afghan Interior Ministry compound in one of the capital's most heavily fortified areas Wednesday, part of a recent escalation in violence in the heart of Kabul. The bomber, wearing a military uniform, passed through several checkpoints to reach the ministry gate before detonating his explosives in the midst of other uniformed men entering the compound, according to the Interior Ministry, which oversees the Afghan police. Police officer Baryalai, who like many Afghans uses only one name, said the bombing took place near a bank close to the entrance gate. Police officers collect their paychecks at the bank.

#2: Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who is on trial for treason, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt as a bomb went off along a route on which his convoy was due to pass early on Thursday, police said. The bomb was planted along a road Musharraf was due to take from a Rawalpindi army hospital, where he has been staying since January, to his home on the outskirts of Islamabad and went off at around 2am (9pm GMT Wednesday).

#3: At least two people were killed on Wednesday in a powerful bomb blast near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing at Chaman. The explosion occurred near Wesh area on the Afghan side of the border, injuring over a dozen other people.

#4: Up to 28 Taliban militants were killed while 25 others wounded as Afghan security forces launched military operations since early Wednesday, said the country's Interior Ministry on Thursday.

#5: At least two Afghan national army (ANA) soldiers were killed following improvised explosive device (IED) explosion. Defense ministry spokesman, Gen. Zahir Azimi said the two Afghan national army (ANA) soldiers were martyred in the past 24 hours.


DoD: Capt. James E. Chaffin III

Posted by whisker at 4:21 AM

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