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, December 8, 2014

War News for Monday, December 8, 2014


U.S., NATO ceremonially end Afghan combat mission....Monday’s ceremony was the first of two that will draw a formal close to NATO’s combat mission by Dec. 28. (Note: the 28th will be my last post -- whisker)



Reported security incidents
#1: At least two foreigners have been killed in Afghanistan in a fresh rocket attack on the US-controlled Bagram air base, near the capital, Kabul. Local officials confirmed that Bagram air base, located next to the ancient city of Bagram in eastern Parwan Province, came under attack on Monday morning. The strike is the second rocket attack on Bagram in less than 48 hours. The Taliban militants fired rockets on the air base Saturday night

#2: Two Pakistani policemen tasked with guarding polio vaccinators were shot dead in the country’s northwestern region on Monday, an official said. The attack took place in a remote area of Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

#3: At least four civilians and two policemen were killed in a suicide attack on the police headquarters' of Maiwand district of southern Kandahar province on Monday, local officials said. Six others including three policemen were injured in the attack. The attack ended after an hour, when five suicide bombers attacked Maiwand police headquarters and began clashing with security forces, Ahmad Zia Durani, spokesman for the police chief, said. "The suicide bomber detonated his explosive at the gate of the headquarters, making way for the four others," Durani said. "Four other insurgents were killed by security forces." He added that the director of the criminal department, a police officer, and four civilians were killed and six others including a policeman were injured in the attack.

#4: 19 armed oppositions were killed in several clearing operations led by Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) during the last 24 hours in various parts of the country.

#5: Two mine planters were killed following their own mine blast in Khost province yesterday.

5 comments:

Dancewater said...

THANK YOU for all the years you kept us updated about what is happening in Afghanistan and Iraq. You have done an amazing job.

I only wish our country's thirst for useless wars was quenched, and that the wars were really ending.

Cervantes said...

Since the combat mission will not in fact end, I will continue to post here. I will also do updates on Iraq and other places where the U.S. is engaged in unacknowledged wars, as warranted. However, I won't likely post every day.

Unknown said...

Thank you all for keeping me updated on what's been going on in the Middle East. Particularly Afghanistan because my other half is there. You guys are much appreciated. God bless y'all.

Unknown said...

Thank you gentlemen for all the work you have done. I don't have the words to explain how reassuring your site was during my daughter's deployments. I look forward to your future postings Cervantes, I love your turn of a phrase. Many blessings to you Whisker in your future endeavors. With peace comes joy:)

Cervantes said...

Thanks folks, much appreciated.