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


Monday, April 6, 2009

War News for Monday, April 06, 2009

MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a U.S. Coalition forces Soldier as a result of operations in an undisclosed location Diyala province, Iraq on Sunday April 5th.


April 3 airpower summary:

Media covers US war dead's return after 18-year ban:

U.S. spies on China from Kyrgyz base: Russian TV:

Obama visit to Turkey raises hopes:

U.S. To Hand Over Two More Detention Facilities To Iraq: detention facility Camp Bucca in southern Iraq and Camp Cropper near Baghdad's airport will be handed over to the Iraqi Justice Ministry in six months...

Venezuela to develop Iran's oil fields:

NY Times: Six Car Bombs Kill 30 in Iraq:


Reported Security incidents:

Baghdad:
#1: In the deadliest attack, a blast at a popular market in eastern Baghdad's Shi'ite Sadr City slum killed at least 10 people and wounded 65, police said.

The deadliest bombing killed more than 20 people near the Areba market in Sadr City, an impoverished Shiite neighborhood in northeastern Baghdad, according to witnesses at the scene. As often happens immediately after attacks, the Ministry of Interior cited a lower death toll, saying 10 were killed but adding that 65 were wounded.

In the worst incident 10 people were killed and 28 were wounded when a booby-trapped car exploded in a market area of the impoverished Shiite district of Sadr City in northeastern Baghdad, an interior ministry official said.

#2: Another car bomb blew up next to a group of laborers queuing for work, killing six people and wounding 16.

In the central Allawi district, four people were killed and 15 others wounded when another car bomb exploded. Most of the victims were workers waiting for jobs, a defence ministry official said.

#3-#4: Two other blasts shook a market area of Husseiniya, on Baghdad's northern outskirts, killing four.

And in Hussainiya, in the city's far northeast, two people were killed and nine were wounded when a vehicle exploded near a market.

Two explosions on Monday killed 12 persons and wounded 22 others in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, according to a police source. “A car bomb went off in front of a clinic in al-Maarif area, while another detonated in a popular market in the same area, killing 12 persons and wounding 22 others, including women and children,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#5: and a street in eastern Baghdad, apparently targeting the convoy of an Interior Ministry official, killing one of his guards and a bystander.

A car bomb targeting the convoy of a senior interior ministry official killed one civilian and a policeman and wounded six other policemen in the southeastern neighbourhood of New Baghdad. The official, a brigadier general whose name was given as Sadun, was unhurt.

#6: Hours after the four early explosions, south Baghdad's Um al-Maalif neighborhood was shaken by a blast, also near a market, killing four bystanders and wounding five others.

#7: Two civilians on Monday were wounded when a sticky explosive charge detonated in southwestern Baghdad, the fifth blast to hit the capital today. “A sticky improvised explosive device (IED) targeted a civilian vehicle in al-Saydiya area, southwestern Baghdad, wounding two civilians,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#8: Gunmen assassinated a well known surgeon, Yasir Khdhaiyir, near al Nidaa Mosque in New Qahira, northern Baghdad at 10 p.m. Saturday as he was returning home from the hospital.

#9: Gunmen assassinated Brigadier General Ahmed Kathum Breesem from the Minister of Interior's office, in the industrial street, Karrada, central Baghdad at 7.15 p.m. Sunday. He was driving, with his wife and children in the car when another car pulled alongside them and the gunman shot Breesem. He was taken to hospital where he died. His family was uninjured.

#10: Sunday A roadside bomb targeted a U.S. military convoy in Shaab intersection, northern Baghdad, at 8 p.m. No casualties were reported.


Diyala Prv:
#1: Three civilians on Monday were killed in an armed attack near Baaquba city, according to a local police source. “This afternoon, unknown gunmen opened fire on a civilian vehicle on a main street in Jalawlaa district (155 km north of Baaquba), killing three persons,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: One Sahwa member was killed by gunmen in Kinaan district, 15 km east Baquba at 3 p.m. Sunday.


Amarra:
#1: Seven Katyusha rockets on Monday hit a U.S. base northwest of Amara city, without causing any casualties, according to an Iraqi army source. “The U.S. base is at al-Batera airport, 15 km northwest Amara,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The rockets were launched from the nearby area of al-Basateen,” he said.“The missiles hit the surroundings of the airport, without causing any casualties or damages,” he added.


Samarra:
#1: A thermal charge or an armour-penetrating-grenade, was thrown at a police patrol in Jubairiyah area in the city of Samarra at noon, Sunday killing one policeman, injuring four.


Taza:
#1: Gunmen in a moving car shot and seriously wounded a man in the town of Taza, 210 km (130 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.


Hawija:
#1: Seven Iraqi army soldiers on Monday were wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up in Salah al-Din’s al-Dalouyia, according to a source from the district’s police. “The bomber blew himself up while an army force was raiding an empty house in al-Huweja village of al-Dalouyia,” Lieutenant Colonel Hussein Ismail told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Kirkuk:
#1: Sunday A roadside bomb targeted a police patrol in Dumeiz neighbourhood in the south of Kirkuk City Sunday evening injuring seven people including policemen and civilians.

#2: Sunday Gunmen shot one member of the Peshmerga, the Kurdish forces in Lilan district, northeastern Kirkuk City and killed him straight away.


Ninewa Prv:
#1: A police patrol found the decapitated body of a man from al Islah al Ziraai, western Mosul late Saturday. The body was covered with evidence of torture, the police said.

#2: Sunday A roadside bomb exploded in al Iqtisadeen neighbourhood in western Mosul, killing a small boy and injuring his mother.

#3: Sunday Gunmen opened fire upon a civilian and killed him straight away in Tel al Rumman neighbourhood, western Mosul.

#4: Sunday Gunmen threw a hand grenade at an Iraqi Army patrol in al Jazair neighbourhood ijuring one soldier.

#5: Sunday Gunmen threw a hand grenade at an Iraqi Army patrol in al Maliyah neighbourhood injuring one soldier.


Al Anbar Prv:
Fallujah:
#1: One civilian on Monday was killed by unknown gunmen in a Falluja village, according to a local security source. “Unknown gunmen driving a vehicle opened fire on a civilian in al-Bou Youssuf village, western Falluja, killing him on the spot,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The gunmen have fled to an unknown destination,” the source added.

#2: Sunday A roadside bomb targeted an Iraqi Police patrol in Nowab al Thubbat neighbourhood, northern Fallijah at 8.15 a.m. killing one police officer and injuring one policeman.

#3: Sunday A roadside bomb targeted a police patrol in Kamaliyat neighbourhood, central Fallujah at 8.25 a.m. injuring one policeman.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: Two Australian soldiers serving with the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) were wounded when the vehicle they were travelling in struck an improvised explosive device (IED) in southern Afghanistan on Saturday morning, Australian time. One soldier was seriously wounded, requiring immediate helicopter evacuation to a coalition medical facility. The other soldier suffered minor wounds and was later evacuated to Tarin Kowt where he will be rested before further medical assessments are made to determine his ability to resume duties.

#2: A German military base in Afghanistan came under rocket fire shortly after a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday, a government spokesman said in Berlin, dpa reported. Two missiles were fired at the base in Kunduz 20 minutes after the chancellor left, deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg said. The missiles landed outside the perimeter fence and caused no casualties or damage. "There is hope," she said after a stop at the base in the northern city of Kunduz, where 700 German troops are stationed.

#3: Three attacks on German soldiers occurred near the Kunduz base shortly before Merkel's visit. A patrol was hit Sunday by a roadside bomb in Kunduz, but like the other two attacks at the weekend, no one was injured. Over the past four weeks, five rocket attacks have been carried out on the Kunduz base and two roadside bombings on its German patrols.

#4: The United States military on Sunday said its troops working with Afghan soldiers had killed 15 Taliban in operations in southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban hold some ground. Fourteen of the men were killed in ground fighting and airstrikes in Zabul province in an “area of known militant presence”, it said in a statement.

#5: Another Taliban was killed and eight arrested late on Saturday in an operation in the adjoining province of Kandahar, a separate statement said.

#6: One policeman was killed and three others were injured as a mine struck their van in Khost province east of Afghanistan on Monday, a local official said. "The incident occurred in Bak district at 9:15 a.m. local time (0445 GMT) when the mine planted by militants hit a vehicle of patrol team, killing one on the spot and wounding three others," Lutfullah Babakerkhil the governor of Bak district told Xinhua.

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