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, April 16, 2014

War News for Wednesday, April 16, 2014


4159 detainees released from Bagram prison: Gen. Farooq


Reported security incidents
#1: An Afghan policeman has opened fire and wounded a female lawmaker in the country's capital, Kabul, during what authorities described as a "dispute" between the two.

#2: An Afghan provincial government spokesman has alleged that a NATO airstrike killed at least three civilians and injured another in Afghanistan's Khost province Tuesday. Helicopters fired at houses in Khost's Nadershahkot district early Tuesday, killing a woman and two children and injuring a man, said Mubarez Zadran, spokesman for Khost's governor.

#3: Pakistani security forces attacked militant hideouts with helicopter gunships in North Waziristan after one of its men was injured in a blast, media reported on Wednesday.

#4: Firing rockets by Pakistani army from across the Durand Line on the eastern provinces have destroyed six houses and perished several livestock in eastern Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, a border police force chief in the eastern region said Tuesday. The source said the shelling which began late on Monday lasted till morning Tuesday, dozens of rockets had slammed in two parts of Kunar, Paktika and Nuristan provinces.

#5: At least eight civilians including children were killed or injured following an explosion in southern Zabul province of Afghanistan. According to local government officials, the incident took place in Shahr-e-Safa district late Tuesday. Gen. Rogh Lewanai said the incident took place after a vehicle struck with an improvised explosive device.

Posted by whisker at 4:32 AM

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