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, December 5, 2012

War News for Wednesday, December 05, 2012

This is our 2500th post since March of 2007 when we started up the new blog. Where the hell did the last 5 years go. Perhaps it’s time just to end the project. – whisker


Two North Dakota Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan -- 41-year-old Sergeant First Class Darren Linde of Devils Lake and 20-year-old Specialist Tyler Orgaard of Bismarck, were killed in action. --  23-year-old specialist Ian Placek also of Bismarck was wounded in the attack and is listed in stable condition in Germany.

Fort Leonard Wood honors dog killed in action in Afghanistan -- Tygo was killed Nov. 10 by an improvised explosive device.

Four Afghan boys 'shot by British while drinking tea'

Nearly 83,000 Afghan refugees return home from Pakistan this year

Reported security incidents
#1: Two soldiers were killed early Wednesday by a pair of suicide bombers who detonated their car when they were stopped from entering an army base, Pakistan's military said. The car exploded outside the Zarai Noor Camp, in Wana, South Waziristan, after it was signaled to a halt by soldiers, a military statement said. "The sentries on duty spotted the suicide bomber at least 100 meters from the camp. Both suicide bombers were blown up in the explosive-laden car," it said. Two security forces personnel were killed and four more injured by the blast. The attack took place in Pakistan's ungoverned tribal region along the Afghanistan border, a stronghold of the Pakistan Taliban.

#2: A Pakistan Army soldier was killed in cross-border firing from Afghanistan in Mohmand Agency, media reports quoted officials as saying on Tuesday. Reports said troops from Afghanistan resorted to unprovoked firing at Sheikh Baba check post in the border area of Mohmand Agency, which left a troop dead. The cross-border firing stopped after retaliation by Pakistani troops, officials said. Security officials said it could not be confirmed if the attack was launched by Afghan National Army or the Afghan Taliban.

#3: Two people were killed and three others wounded, including a brother of Balochistan finance minister, in separate firing incidents in Balochistan on Tuesday. An explosion also occurred in a Frontier Corps camp in Turbat. According to police, unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate fire on Muhammad Asif, the brother of Finance Minister Mir Asim Kurd Gailo, in Panjgour town. Asif sustained serious wounds and was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical aid. The assailants fled from the scene after committing the crime. In another incident, unidentified men killed a driver and wounded two others in Qila Saifullah. Levies sources said that armed men opened indiscriminate fire on workers of a road construction company in Kanchogi area in Muslim Bagh tehsil. Resultantly, bulldozer driver Muhammad Khalid died on the spot and Qari and Muhammad Faisal were seriously wounded. In Quetta, police recovered a body from Essa Nagri Brewery Road and shifted it to hospital for autopsy. However, identity of the deceased could not be ascertained.

#4: The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) killed three insurgents after being ambushed near Tana Village, Chamkani District, Paktiya Province, Dec. 3. The patrol was pinned down by small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire. After ensuring the area was clear of civilians, the area was clear of civilians, the joint patrol called for air support killing three insurgents. The patrol was able to clear the remainder of the route to their compound, and ensure the area was free of insurgent activity.


DoD: Lance Cpl. Anthony J. Denier

6 comments:

Cervantes said...

Well, it's definitely time to end the U.S. military project in Afghanistan.

ariadeer said...

My husband is on his first tour there. I check your blog every day. I could understand if you're sick of doing it but I really appreciate the updates. It lets me know whether or not to worry that day. Thanks for your efforts. I too agree with Cervantes...it is time to end this war.

Anonymous said...

Great work folks

Cervantes said...

I'll hang in there with the Sunday posts, at least, as long as the U.S. has military involvement -- and quite likely beyond.

Jane Stillwater said...

Sometimes one has to stand witness to the horror. But sometimes one just can't stand any more. Either way, I appreciate what you have been doing.

Dancewater said...

I appreciate all the work that whisker and cervantes put into this... especially whisker, who covers 6 days a week!

time to end this occupation of Afghanistan, for sure.