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 17, 2014

War News for Saturday, May 17, 2014


Injured sailor returns to Iowa after extended rehab

Warnings over sockets at Afghanistan base where two soldiers died


Reported security incidents
#1: At least seven people were wounded in a blast in Bannu, officials said on Friday, including two policemen. The officers were among seven hurt in a motorcycle bomb attack targeting a police van in the northwestern town of Bannu, which has a history of violence, much of it targeting security forces.

#2: a commander of Oppositions network with his five of men killed in an operation conducted by Afghan security forces in Nangarhar province last evening. The commander along with his men wanted to enter Goshta district, Nangarhar province for carrying out of terrorist attacks, targeted by police forces and killed.

#2: In one attack, one civilian was killed while 12 civilians were wounded when a bomb attached to a motorcycle went off in Khowja Bahawoddin district of northern Takhar province around midday on Saturday, a provincial police spokesman Khalil Aseer told Xinhua.

#3: Earlier on Saturday morning, five militants were killed when a bomb they were planting along a road was detonated prematurely in the country's eastern province of Ghazni.

#4: Elsewhere, four Afghan army soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing over the past 24 hours, the defense ministry said in a statement without providing details.

#5: Afghan security forces killed 38 militants in military operations in separate provinces within the last 24 hours, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

#6: A Tajik diplomat was injured following an attack by unknown gunmen in northern Kunduz province of Afghanistan on Friday, local officials said. The officials further added that the incident took place after a group of armed militants ambushed the vehicle of the diplomat while he was on his way to Kunduz province from northeastern Badakhshan province.

#7: Coordinated blasts were reported in western Herat province of Afghanistan on Friday night. A local security official said at least one policeman was killed and four others were injured following the twin blasts. The official further added that the incident took place around 8:00 pm local time after an explosive planted in a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Islam Qala. He said the Afghan police forces were inspecting the blast when the second explosion took place that left one policeman martyred

Posted by whisker at 4:00 AM

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