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


Tuesday, April 1, 2014

War News for Tuesday, April 01, 2014


Afghan army hunts Taliban ahead of elections

CSTO chief critical of NATO's drug fighting efforts in Afghanistan

CIA misled on interrogation program, Senate report says

Afghanistan sees growing monthly casualties in March


Reported security incidents
#1: A total of 29 insurgents were killed as Afghan security forces launched a series of military operations within the last 24 hours, said the Afghan Interior Ministry on Tuesday morning.

#2: At least three people were killed and six others injured when some unknown armed men opened fire at a passenger train in Pakistan's southwest Bolan District on Monday afternoon, local media reported. Express TV said that the armed men opened fire at Akbar Bugti Express as soon as it came out of a tunnel in Mach area of Bolan, a district in the country's southwest Balochistan Province.

#3: At least 16 senior Taliban commanders were killed following a suicide attack in eastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan on Tuesday. Afghan Intelligence – National Directorate of Security (NDS) said the incident took place in a Taliban leaders gathering in Gelan district. National Directorate of Security (NDS) following a statement said the Taliban leaders were planning coordinated attacks in Ghazni province when a Taliban suicide bomber opposed with the Taliban leaders plans and detonated his explosives.

#4: At least six Taliban commanders were killed following a suicide blast in eastern Logar province of Afghanistan on Tuesday.  According to NDS officials, the incident took place around 12:30 pm local time in Charkh district. The officials further added that the Taliban commanders were looking to prepare a suicide bomber for an attack when the suicide bombing vest went off.

#5: At least nine Taliban militants were killed or injured during military operations by Afghan national police (ANP) forces in northern Faryab province.

Posted by whisker at 4:21 AM

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