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


Thursday, December 25, 2014

War News for Thursday, December 25, 2014


Afghan Leader Tells U.N. Agency to Relinquish Control of Funds, Officials Say

Clearing Operations Starts In Two Districts of Nangarhar


Reported security incidents
#1: A drone strike killed three anti-government gunmen, including a Pakistani, and wounded two others in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, an official said Wednesday.

#2: Two Afghan anti- government militants were killed as their explosive device exploded prematurely in the country's eastern Laghman province on Thursday, said a statement released by the provincial government.

#3: In the latest incident, two Afghan soldiers were killed and two others injured as a bomb blast targeted a military vehicle in Qarghayi district, Laghman province on Thursday morning, spokesman for provincial government Sarhadi Zawak said.

#4: Two armed insurgents were killed and five others detained in a clash with Afghan security forces in Baghlan province. The clash occurred in Dahan-e-Ghoori district of that province while armed insurgents attacked on the base of security forces.

#5: A local police commander with two other policemen were martyred in explosion of a mine in Logar province yesterday. The incident occurred in Hesarak region, Pul-e-Alam capital of that province, while a policeman wanted to defuse a mine.

Posted by whisker at 4:03 AM

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