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 6, 2014

War News for Saturday, December 6, 2014


Reported security incidents
#1: Police spokesman Abdul Manan Rauofi said the convoy attack happened Friday night in Jawzjan province. Rauofi said Taliban militants killed the officers and wounded four in the assault on the patrol in the province's Aqcha District.

#2: In Laghman province, two suspected U.S. drone strikes killed four Taliban fighters, said Sarhadi Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

#3: A policeman was martyred following clashes in Nimroz province yesterday. National Security Directorate officials in the province told BNA correspondent, a policeman was martyred, while clashes occurred between NSD personnel and Taliban militants in Khash district, Nimroz province.

#4: 10 Afghan National Army soldiers were martyred following complot of their two colleagues in Badghis province last night. The incident was happened in Bala Murghab district, while two National Army forces with cooperation of a group of Taliban militants attacked on his colleagues’ checkpoint and martyred all of them.

#5: At least seven Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were martyred following militants direct fire and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack.

#6: An explosion took place in southern Kandahar city earlier today without incurring any casualties to civilians or security forces.

Posted by whisker at 3:35 AM

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