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, October 8, 2014

War News for Wednesday, October 8, 2014


Reported security incidents
#1: A roadside bomb exploded in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday killing an off-duty polio vaccinator and his relative while wounding another worker, officials said. The blast occurred in the Ali Nagar village of the Mohammad tribal district along the Afghan border where Taliban militants are active.

#2: Pakistani intelligence officials say a suspected U.S. drone strike on a Taliban compound in the North Waziristan tribal region has killed at least four militants. Two intelligence officials say two missiles hit the compound of a suspected Taliban commander in the village of Mangorthi, in the Shawal area. The officials spoke only on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

#3: An Afghan official says a suicide car bomber has killed at least five people in an attack that targeted a former district police chief in southern Helmand province. Omar Zwak, spokesman for Helmand’s provincial governor, says the bomber detonated his explosives-laden vehicle near the house of the former police chief in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital, on Wednesday.Five people were killed in the explosion. Zwak says the former police chief and 18 others were wounded in the attack.

#4: Pul-e-Khomri (BNA) Chairman of board of Baghlan  Markazi district, Baghlan province  Haji Abdul Ahad survived assassination today. Ghowhar Khan Babordi governor of Baghlan Markazi district, Baghlan province said BNA a magnetic mine was planted by enemies of peace and security in a vehicle of Haji Abdul Ahad, chairman of board of Baghlan Markzai district, before reaching to the target, discovered and prevented from a bloody and terrorist event. 

#5: Nangarhar police spokesman said BNA, the clash took place while armed Taliban targeted security posts of Peachagram district, Nangarhar province in which Haji Zewar and Qari Hamid two ring-leaders of armed rebels killed and 6 others were wounded. The Source added, there were no casualties among Afghan security forces and civilians in the clashes.

#6: In the conflict-ridden Afghanistan, 20 armed militants have given up fighting and 19 others have lost their lives in clash with security forces over the past 24 hours.

Posted by whisker at 4:41 AM

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