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


Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Update for Wednesday, October 5, 2016

U.S. service member killed by an IED explosion while on patrol in Nangarhar. I will provide more information when it becomes available.

Taliban are reported to control much of Kunduz, despite previous claims by the government to have gained control of the city. Food is in short supply.

Amruddin Wali, a provincial council member, told Pajhwok Afghan News the Taliban were openly moving around the strategic city, whose residents were in a state of fear and leaving their homes. “Only the governor’s house, the intelligence and police headquarter and the city’s main square are under the government’s control,” he claimed, saying airstrikes were underway and a number of houses and markets had been destroyed.
Explosion targeting a government minibus in Kabul causes an unknown number of injuries. Many people are said to have been taken to hospital, but no reports of deaths so far.

A two day international conference on Afghanistan begins in Brussels. Afghanistan, whose government and military are largely dependent on international largess, will seek additional donor funds.

In Iraq, a U.S. air strike mistakenly kills 20 Sunni tribal fighters allied with the government in a village near Qayyara. Oops once again.

The squabble between Turkey and Iraq over the presence of Turkish troops in Bashiqa continues.


Posted by Cervantes at 6:15 AM

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