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


Saturday, June 16, 2012

War News for Saturday, June 16, 2012

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an insurgent attack in an undisclosed location in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, June 15th.

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an insurgent attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Friday, June 15th.


Reported security incidents
#1: At least 15 killed and dozens more injured after bomb explodes in Landi Kotal, near border with Afghanistan. Fifteen people have been killed after a car bomb exploded in a crowded bazaar in north-west Pakistan, according to government officials. The car bomb was detonated in Landi Kotal, a town in northwest tribal region of Khyber near the border with Afghanistan. Officials said 35 others were wounded in the attack and a number of shops and vehicles also badly damaged. Security officials said the target appeared to be a tribal leader allied with the government against the Pakistani Taliban, Reuters said, and warned that the death toll could rise.

#2: Afghan officials say three police officers have been killed in a roadside bombing in southern Afghanistan. Uruzgan provincial government spokesman Abdullah Himmat says the blast occurred on Friday night before in the province's Chinarto district. He says one other officer was wounded in the explosion.

#3: Afghan police backed by NATO-led troops have killed 18 armed anti-government militants over the past 24 hours across the country, Interior Ministry said in a press release Saturday. "The national police with the support of army and the coalition forces have killed 18 militants in Badakhshan, Helmand, Logar, Khost and Paktiya provinces over the past 24 hours,"the press release said.

#4: Afghan defense ministry following a statement on Tuesday announced at least 10 Afghan national army soldiers were killed or injured during the past 24 hours. The statement further added at least 3 Afghan national army soldiers were killed and 7 others were injured in militants attack and improvised explosive device attacks in southern and eastern Afghanistan. The incidents took place in Nuristan, Paktia, Logar, Ghazni and Helmand provinces of Afghanistan.

#5: According to local authorities in eastern Paktika province at least 34 insurgents were killed following military operations in this province. The officials further added the operations were conducted on Thursday and Friday in 4 different districts of eastern Paktika province.


MoD: Lance Corporal James Ashworth


Posted by whisker at 3:35 AM

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