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


Friday, September 5, 2014

War News for Friday, September 5, 2014


US troops killed by friendly fire

Torrential monsoon rains kill nearly 70 in Pakistan


Reported security incidents
#1: Two policemen were martyred in explosion of a bomb in Zabul province last evening. The blast occurred in Shahjou district bazaar while passing of a caravan of militaries forces from the area.

#2: Six armed Taliban were killed in recent conflicts in Kunar province last night. The clashes occurred late last night; five sliders also lost their lives. The clashes started while a group of armed Taliban attacked on a military base in the province.

#3: At least 48 Taliban militants were killed following a military operation in northern Balkh province of Afghanistan, local officials said Friday. The operations were conducted by Afghan national security forces in Alborz district on Thursday night.

Posted by whisker at 4:41 AM

1 comments:

Cervantes said...

Paratrooper killed yesterday identified as pc. Brian Arsenault, of Northborough, Massachusetts, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

September 5, 2014 at 8:33 AM

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