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


Friday, September 11, 2015

Update for Thursday, Sept. 11, 2015


By now I expect that most people have nearly forgotten that the U.S. first invaded Afghanistan in response to the events of this date in 2001; and that the Cheney administration then used the same events as the foundation for a campaign of lies leading to the illegal war of aggression against Iraq. So, of course, Americans spend the day wallowing in their own victimization but nobody has anything to say about the millions who have died or been driven from their homes as a result of U.S. actions -- people who had nothing to do with it.

The refugee crisis in Europe right now is trivial compared to what is happening in Lebanon, Jordan, Kurdistan, and the suburbs of Baghdad, where millions of displaced people live in desperate circumstances even as the UN is running out of funds to feed them. But we don't hear a word about that because those countries aren't in Europe. They aren't complaining, however, and they are doing their best to take care of people who have no other refuge, even though they are relatively poor countries and have many other problems of their own. I have had a few words to say about this here.

This is not a day for Americans to pity themselves, wallow in fear or swell with militant bluster. Remember how the events 14 years ago were used to strip us of liberties -- which we have not regained -- militarize our local police, create a network of dungeons and torture chambers all over the world, destroy an entire country, and squander trillions of dollars even as we pretend we can't afford to educate our children or keep our bridges from falling down. There's a lot we need to remember on this day, but it's not what people are talking about.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well said

anatta said...

on your soapbox again I see..and much I agree with, but I think you are missing the fact if 9-11 hadn't happened much of our reactions wouldn't have either.
Don't forget the first World Trade center bombing, the USS Colle etc.

And please don't give back bin Laden type reasoning that Al-Qaeda is somehow a legitimate response to western imperialism in Muslim lands.
Thanks as always for the reportage, and the editorials

Cervantes said...

Sure, my whole point is that Americans overreacted and mis-reacted to the events of 9/11.

Anonymous said...

and wat about the conspiracy thorists and the 9/11 truth .com people who say the twin tower free fall destruction was a conspiracy planned to wage war in the islamic lands to grab their resources and to destroy them--- all this has happened before our eyes only this has not gone all to plan .! while the west and america are embroiled in this criminal war china has grown unmolested and unhindered into a giant world power that will go on to eclipse the west in everything.

Dancewater said...

I agree. We wallow in victim-hood and fear. Pee-your-pants-because-you-are-an-American!