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


Saturday, December 20, 2014

War News for Saturday, December 20, 2014

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF civilian from a non-combat related injury an undisclosed location in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, December 19th.


Pakistan hangs two militants after Taliban school massacre


Reported security incidents
#1: At least five have been killed in the North Waziristan region of Pakistan by a US drone strike Saturday targeting a compound used by suspected militants, a security official reported, according to Sputnik.

#2: At least five militants were killed Saturday in a clash between security forces and militants in Pakistan’s Peshawar city. According to officials, the clash took place near Darra Adam Khel town, leaving five militants, including key commander Mustafa alias Manan of Darra Adam Khel Taliban, dead, Dawn online reported. Two security personnel were also injured in the  clash.

#3: At least 22 armed oppositions were killed following clearing operations led by Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) during the last 24 hours in different parts of the country

#4: Sarhadi Zwak, spokesman for eastern Laghman province says Taliban insurgents fired numerous missiles at Dawlat Shah District on Friday. “One of the missile landed at a civilian house which killed one girl and injured six other members of the same family” He said.

Posted by whisker at 4:27 AM

1 comments:

Dancewater said...



look, no boots on the ground:

US servicemen in first ground battle with ISIS – Kurdish media

http://rt.com/usa/215323-americans-ground-battle-isis/#.VJY0rTEipkx.twitter

December 20, 2014 at 8:53 PM

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