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, August 14, 2014

War News for Thursday, August 14, 2014


Reported security incidents
#1: Afghan officials say at least three police officers have been killed by a roadside bomb in eastern Laghman Province. A spokesman for the provincial governor said four other officers were wounded when the blast hit a police vehicle in Badpakh district on August 14.

#2: A Frontier Corps (FC) personnel was killed and another was injured after their patrolling vehicle was bombed in the Saryab area of Quetta Thursday morning.

#3: A teenage boy was killed following cross-border shelling from the other side of Durand Line in eastern Kunar province. Provincial police chief, Gen. Abdul Habib Syed Khe, said at least 21 rockets were fired from the other side of Durand Line on Wednesday night.

#4: Unknown gunmen shot dead the campaign manager of former presidential contender Gul Agha Sherzai in southern Helmand province. The provincial government media office in a statement said Thursday that the campaign manager of ex-presidential runner Gul Agha Sherzai was shot dead by unknown gunmen riding a motorcycle.

#5: At least four civilians were killed following an explosion in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan. According to local government officials, the incident took place late Wednesday in Khanshin district of Helmand province.


DoD: Sgt. 1st Class Samuel C. Hairston

Posted by whisker at 3:25 AM

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