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, June 3, 2010

War News for Thursday, June 03, 2010

The British MoD is reporting the death of a British ISAF Marine in an IED attack in the Sangin district, Helmand province, Afghanistan on Wednesday, June 2nd.

The Washington Post is reporting the death of an American soldier in a noncombat related accident somewhere in Baghdad, Iraq on Wednesday, June 2nd.

The DoD is reporting the death of a U.S. soldier from a non-combat related incident at Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas on Saturday, May 30th. He was originally injured at Dahuk, Iraq on Saturday April 18th.

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier during a small arms fire attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, June 3rd.


Oregon soldier wounded in Iraq, still owes military:

Australian Soldier Critically Ill After Suspected Drug Overdose In Afghanistan:


Reported security incidents

Baghdad:
#1: Two civilians were wounded on Thursday in a sticky bomb explosion in southeastern Baghdad, according to a police source. “A bomb, stuck to a civilian car, went off on Thursday (June 3) in Baghdad al-Jadieda region, southeastern Baghdad, injuring two civilians onboard and damaging the car,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: Agriculture ministry’s undersecretary survived an attempt on his life on Thursday in eastern Baghdad, a police source said. “An explosive device went off Thursday morning (June 3) targeting the motorcade of the agriculture ministry’s undersecretary for technical affairs, Mahdi al-Qissi, in Palestine street in eastern Baghdad,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The official survived the attack, but two of his bodyguards and two passing civilians were wounded,” he said.

#3: Security forces found on Thursday two launching pads in eastern Baghdad, according to a security source. “The forces found the two pads in Jamiela region near al-Rukn al-Abiyad restaurant, eastern Baghdad,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “No rockets or missiles were found near the pads,” he added.

#4: A sticky bomb attached to a car exploded, wounding a civilian in New Baghdad district, eastern Baghdad, police said.


Diyala Prv:
#1: One civilian was killed and four more were wounded in an explosion in north of Baaquba, a police source said on Thursday. “An improvised explosive device went off near a civilian vehicle on the road between Mendli and al-Saadiya districts, north of Baaquba, killing a civilian and injuring four, all from the same family,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Thi Qar:
#1: At least 14 civilians were wounded in an explosion near a train heading from Baghdad to Thi-Qar, a security source said on Thursday. “The bomb, planted on the railway in Uwerig al-Senaaya region, went off this morning near a train heading from Baghdad to Thi-Qar,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Mosul:
#1: Army forces on Wednesday found the body of a soldier who had been kidnapped by gunmen in eastern Mosul, a local army source said. “Army forces found on Wednesday afternoon (June 2) the body of a soldier of the 2nd division of the Iraqi army in Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The soldier had been kidnapped while on duty,” he added.

#2: A booby-trapped wooden cart exploded in eastern Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, wounding three people including two police officers, police said.

#3: A roadside bomb wounded a police officer in western Mosul, police said.

#4: Police said they found the body of an unidentified man with bullet wounds to the head and chest in southern Mosul.


Al Anbar Prv:
#1: Unknown gunmen kidnapped a civilian on Thursday in western Anbar, a police source said. “The gunmen kidnapped the civilian in central al-Baghdadi district, western Anbar, and took them to unknown place,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: Four (civilians) were killed when a roadside mine struck their vehicle in the district of Nawzad, north of Lashkargah, the capital city of Helmand, said Dauod Ahmadi, a spokesman for the provincial government.

#2: Four other civilians were killed Wednesday in Marjah, scene of a vast military operation by coalition forces who cleared out what had been a Taliban stronghold. The civilians were killed as Afghan security forces and Taliban exchanged fire with Taliban who ambushed their convoy, Mr. Ahmadi said.

#3: More than a dozen militants were killed Wednesday in a district where Pakistan declared an end to major combat operations hours earlier after a two-month assault, security officials said. Helicopter gunships shelled suspected Taliban hideouts near the towns of Kaasha and Toti Mela in the northwest Orakzai tribal district, killing seven militants, local administration official Sajjad Ahmed told AFP. More than a dozen militants attacked an army checkpost in the Shahu Khel area in which two soldiers were wounded, the official said. "Troops retaliated killing six militants and wounding eight. The attack was launched by a group of 15-20 militants," Ahmed said. Other security officials said 20 militants were killed and 12 wounded in helicopter gunship attacks and ground clashes in upper parts of Orakzai. It is impossible, however, to confirm casualty statistics independently in what is a closed military zone inaccessible to aid workers and journalists.

#4: Another NATO chopper has been destroyed in northern Afghanistan following an emergency landing, the second helicopters lost by the US-led force in the past three days. NATO officials in Afghanistan said one of its helicopters was deliberately demolished after making an emergency landing in the northern part of the country on Wednesday, a Press TV correspondent reported. The chopper landed in Baghlan province, according to the officials, due to technical problems and was then destroyed by NATO fighter jets out of fear of falling into the hands of Taliban militants. It was confirmed that no one was killed in the accident. However, a local Taliban leader said the chopper was attacked by the militants.

#5: Gun battle between security forces and Taliban militants left five insurgents dead in Afghanistan's southern Zabul province, spokesman for provincial administration Mohammad Jan Rasoulyar said Thursday. "Afghan forces raided the hideout of Taliban rebels in Shahjoi district Wednesday night killing five rebels," Rasoulyar told Xinhua. He did not provide more details. Taliban outfit has yet to make comment.


DoD: Pfc. Jake W. Suter

DoD: Pfc. Alvaro R. Regalado Sessarego

DoD: Spc. Jonathan K. Peney

News: Army Private Sophia Bruun

2 comments:

Dancewater said...

the after effects of war:

Iraqi refugees haunted by horrors they left behind

those blood sucking war mongerers ruin lives and then never lift a finger to help the people left behind.... never! They are evil, evil, evil people.

whisker said...

Susan we may disagree on the rhetoric, but we agree on the horrors which the population has been put through. Sad, it's very sad indeed.
E