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


Wednesday, September 17, 2014

War News for Wednesday, September 17, 2014


Reynoldsburg Ohio Reservist Killed In Afghanistan -- Stephen Byus

Over 1,500 Afghan policemen martyred since the start of the year


Reported security incidents
#1: A provincial security official said on Wednesday that Taliban fighters killed six Afghan policemen in an ambush in western Afghanistan. Raouf Ahmadi, spokesman for the provincial police chief in Herat province said that six other police were wounded in the assault late Tuesday. Mr. Ahmadi said that eight Taliban fighters were also killed in the battle.

#2: The Pakistan army Wednesday said fighter jets bombed positions of militants in the North Waziristan tribal region and killed 40 local and foreign militants.

#3: Two militants were on Wednesday killed in an encounter with security forces near the Line of Control (LoC) in Macchil Sector of Kashmir Valley. “In the wee hours today, two unknown terrorists were killed in Macchil Sector in an encounter with troops,” an Army spokesman said.

#4: At least three Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were martyred following improvised explosive device (IED) explosion, defense officials said Wednesday. Defense ministry spokesman, Gen. Zahir Azimi said the three Afghan soldies were martyred in the past 24 hours.

#5: A female journalist was murdered by unidentified men in northern Balkh province of Afghanistan. The female journalistm – Palwasha Tokhi Miranzai was reportedly working for Bayan-e-Shamal new network. According to reports, Miranzai was repeatedly stabbed by unidentified men inside her house in Mazar-e-Sharif city.

Posted by whisker at 5:05 AM

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