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, October 24, 2014

War News for Friday, October 24, 2014


Afghanistan Poppy Crop Hits Record High

Two Afghan districts, bordering with Tajikistan, can move under control of Taliban

Russian Held in Afghanistan to Stand Trial in US: Reports


Reported security incidents
#1: Afghan police say five people were killed and two were wounded when gunmen opened fire on a car in an attack in one of the country's eastern provinces. Friday's attack took place in Nangahar province as seven civilians were travelling through Khogyani district early in the morning.

#2: Pakistani and Iranian forces have exchanged mortar fire along their porous border.Pakistani officials said Iran fired six mortar shells, which landed near the border town of Mashkail. Pakistan is then thought to have fired back, BBC reported on oct.24.

#3: Operation Khyber 1 is successfully continued in district Bara and Tirah in Khyber Agency. In the duration of eight days since the operation commenced, at least 60 militants got killed and more than 25 injured whereas more than 100 militants including a key commander surrendered to the security forces. 3 security forces’ officers have also been martyred whereas 12 got injured. 6000 families have migrated to fetch for safe havens.

#4: At least three people were killed and 30 others injured when a suicide bomber blew up himself near a vehicle of a religious party's leader in Pakistan's southwestern Quetta city on Thursday evening, officials said.

#5: Five armed Taliban were killed in explosion of their own mine in Ghazni province today.

#6: At least 12 people, including 6 militants and 6 members of the Afghan national security forces were killed following clashes in northern Kunduz province.

Posted by whisker at 3:38 AM

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