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, September 18, 2014

War News for Thursday, September 18, 2014


Reported security incidents
#1: A security man was killed in a blast in Balochistan's troubled Kech district on Thursday, a security official said. A security official, who requested anonymity, told Dawn that militants targeted a security forces' vehicle in Shapuk area of Turbat. He said one security man was killed in the attack. "The vehicle was targeted with a remote-controlled bomb," he added.

#2: In another incident, armed men killed a police officer in the Double Road area of Quetta on late Wednesday night. Imran Qureshi, the Superintedent of Police, told Dawn that armed militants opened fire on a police assistant sub-inspector (ASI), and killed him on the spot. He said the assailants fled from the scene after launching the attack.

#3: Tajik border guards killed an Afghan drug smuggler and wounded two others Wednesday on the Tajik-Afghan border, in Shuroabad district of Khatlon province, Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) said on Thursday.

#4: Defense ministry spokesman, Gen. Zahir Azimi confirmed that three Afghan soldiers were martyred in improvised explosive device (IED) attack.

#5: At least 22 Taliban militants including Punjabi insurgents were killed following clashes with the Afghan security forces in Kunar province.


DoD: Sgt. Charles C. Strong

DoD: Maj. Michael J. Donahue

DoD: Civ. Stephen Byus

Pol/MoD: Sergeant Rafał Celebudzki

Posted by whisker at 4:43 AM

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