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


Monday, November 17, 2014

War News for Monday, November 17, 2014


Reported security incidents
#1: Airstrikes and ground clashes between security forces and militants in North Waziristan Agency early Sunday left four soldiers, including an army major, and 34 militants dead. Four soldiers were killed and at least eight were missing after insurgents using rockets and grenades stormed a checkpoint in the remote border region of North Waziristan Agency, security sources said. Eleven men were wounded and between eight and 10 were missing, they said.

#2: An outspoken female Afghan lawmaker survived a suicide bombing attack on her vehicle on Sunday, suffering slight wounds, but three civilian bystanders were killed, a police spokesman said.

#3: In a clash between armed Taliban and security forces in Takhar province, six armed Taliban was killed and 12 others wounded yesterday evening. The Ministry of Interior (MoI) said that the attack took place by Taliban militants on a police check post in Khwajah Ghar district in northeastern Takhar province.

#4: Nine armed oppositions were killed by Afghan National Army forces operation in Kunduz province last night.

#5: Student of a school and an engineer were martyred and three other students wounded in a blast in Maidan-Wardak province.

#6: Taliban militants launched a massive offensive with the involvement of some 400 fighters against Balablok district in the western Farah province, 695 km west of Kabul, on Monday, gun battle continues, a private television channel Tolo has reported.

#7: Three local police personnel were injured as a roadside bomb struck their vehicle in Marawara district of Kunar province on Monday, provincial police chief Abdul Habib SayedKhili said.

Posted by whisker at 3:25 AM

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