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, May 10, 2014

War News for Saturday, May 10, 2014


Reported security incidents
#1: Six persons were injured when a blast occurred near Kohati Gate in Peshawar on Saturday, a private news channel reported on Saturday.  Initial reports suggested that a hand grenade was hurled that caused the blast and injured six persons. A house was also damaged due to the impact.

#2: Two guerrillas were killed and an armyman was injured on Saturday in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir when the army foiled an infiltration bid on the Line of Control.

#3: As many as eleven armed militants were killed and nine others wounded during a spate of operation in some provinces of the country, the ministry of defense said in a statement Saturday. According to the statement, in Maiwand district of the province (Kandahar), nine insurgents were killed and four others wounded, while in Marja district, two rebels lost life in counterinsurgents’ operation.

#4: Seven Taliban militants including a key commander Mullah Abdul Qadir were killed in the southern Zabul province on Saturday, Interior Ministry said in a statement released here. "Acting upon intelligence report, the units of police raided Taliban hideout in Dalai village of Shamalzai district early Saturday morning killing seven rebels including a key commander Mullah Abdul Qadir," the statement said.

#5: Afghan security forces have killed 63 Taliban militants and injured 41 others in Ghazni province since Friday night and the operation is still continuing, an army spokesman Nazifullah Sultani said Saturday.

#6: Six Taliban militants lost their lives and six others sustained injuries as their explosive device went off prematurely in the northern Kunduz province on Friday, Interior Ministry said in a statement released here on Saturday. "A dozen Taliban militants were busy in making roadside bomb in a house in Chardara district of Kunduz province on Friday evening but the device exploded accidently killing six rebels on the spot and wounding six others," the statement added.

#7: At least three civilians were killed following an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in eastern Logar province of Afghanistan. The incident took place early Saturday in Pul-e-Alam city of Logar province after a civilian vehicle struck with an improvised explosive device (IED).

#8: At least three Afghan national army soldiers were killed in separate improvised explosive device (IED) attacks on Saturday. Gen. Zahir Azimi, spokesman for the ministry of defense of Afghanistan said at least two Afghan national army soldiers were martyred in two separate IED attacks in western Ghor province of Afghanistan.

Posted by whisker at 4:21 AM

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