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, May 5, 2014

War News for Monday, May 05, 2014


Exclusive: CIA Falls Back in Afghanistan


Reported security incidents
#1: Dozens of assailants attacked NATO containers in the Wazir Dhand area of Jamrud in the tribal areas on Monday, killing two drivers, private TV channel quoted security officials as saying. Gunmen attacked three container trucks carrying NATO supplies en route to Afghanistan, killing two people, the officials said. Two other drivers were kidnapped by the attackers, the channel reported. It was reported that there were more than 20 assailants who fired at the NATO trucks and later set the containers on fire.

#2: A Pakistani soldier was martyred Sunday by firing from Afghanistan in the mountainous border tribal region of Bajaur when unidentified armed men attacked a security force’s checkpost. According to the official sources, the Frontier Crops official was killed at 11:45 am at the border area of Ghakhi of Lovi Mamond tehsil, 30 km from the agency head quarters Khar. A military statement said the incident happened at 11:45am. It was unclear whether the firing came from Afghan forces or from Pakistani or Afghan militants hiding across the border.

#3: Frontier Corps (FC) personnel on Monday claimed to have killed 10 militants in Balochistan's troubled Panjgur district. He said ten suspected militants were killed whereas three FC soldiers were seriously wounded during the operation.

#4: Unknown suspected militants on Monday blew up a 500 kv Tarbela Sheikh Mohammadi transmission line in the Badbher area situated on the outskirts of Peshawar. In charge Inqalab checkpost, Fazle Sher Khan said that the suspected militants had planted explosives on the tower and blew it up late night, however, no loss of life was reported

#5: Six people were killed and two others wounded in a coordinated Taliban attack in western Afghan province of Nimroz on Monday, police said. "One suicide bomber detonated a car bomb close to Dilaram District intelligence agency office. Four other militants tried to seize the building. They were killed in subsequent exchange of fire with security forces," deputy provincial police chief, Colonel Abdul Rahim, told Xinhua. "One police was killed and two policemen wounded. No civilian casualties took place," Rahim noted.

#6: Up to six police and two local leaders were shot dead early Monday by militants in northern Afghan province of Faryab, said an official. "The Taliban militants raided a security checkpoint in Gurziwall district at 2:00 a.m. local time, leaving six police cops killed," district governor Abdul Raziq Kakar told Xinhua. One policeman was missing following the attack, he said.

The same militants had also laid an ambush attack near a mosque at around dawn in the district, killing two pro-government local leaders, the governor said, adding an investigation was launched into the incidents in the province, 425 km northwest of national capital Kabul

In neighboring Farah province, an army spokesman, Abdul Raouf Ahmadi, told Xinhua that six militants were killed and two got injured when the army soldiers repelled a Taliban attack on army checkpoints in Push Rod district early Monday morning.

#7: At least 50 Taliban militants were killed and 36 others were injured following military operations in eastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan. The interior ministry of Afghanistan following a statement said the militants were killed or injured during operations which were conducted in Gilan district four days ago.

At least 41 anti-government armed militants were killed following military operations by Afghan national army (ANA) soldiers.

#8: 4 Taliban militants killed, 13 others injured in Takhar clashes. According to local government officials, clashes between Afghan security forces and Taliban militants broke out in Cha Aab district on Sunday morning. Provincial governor spokesman, Sunatullah Temori said at least 3 Taliban militants were killed and 13 others were injured following the clashes.

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