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, July 20, 2016

Update for Wednesday, July 20, 2016


Oops. U.S. air strikes in Syria kill at least 56 civilians near Aleppo today, after killing 60 civilians near Manbij yesterday. Collateral damage, don't you know.

It's a good thing climate change is a hoax engineered by the Chinese or we might have to blame somebody for 120 degree Farehnheit temperatures in Baghdad today, with hotter temperatures expected tomorrow. A holiday from work has been proclaimed. Oh yeah, lots of people don't have electricity.

Aid agencies are trying to prepare for the expected exodus from Mosul but time and money are running short.

PM Abadi has accepted the resignation of 6 ministers.

Turkey resumes the air campaign against the PKK after the failed coup.

Ministers from 30 nations are meeting in Washington, D.C. today to discuss combatting IS. The focus appears to be the military campaign in Iraq, particularly the coming assault on Mosul.




Posted by Cervantes at 9:19 AM

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