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, March 31, 2007

Security Incidents for 03/31/07

PHOTO: An Iraqi soldier stands next to a newly introduced sign reading; 'This is an official checkpoint number 711 by orders of the Prime Minister and the Commander of the Baghdad operations,' in central Baghdad Saturday, March 31, 2007. Security forces are trying to prevent insurgents and criminal gangs from setting up fake checkpoints, which has happened in the past. (AP Photo/Samir Mizban)

Baghdad- The U.S. army said on Saturday a service member died in a non-combat related incident in Baghdad.

Baghdad- A car bomb on Saturday left three civilians dead and seven wounded in the Shiite Sadr city in eastern Baghdad, a police source said.

NEAR BAGHDAD - The U.S. military captured 16 suspected insurgents in the last 48 hours just south of Baghdad, the military said.

BAGHDAD - A car bomb killed five people and wounded 22 outside the Sadrayn hospital in the Shi'ite district of Sadr City in Baghdad, police said.

Baghdad - Three policemen injured by roadside bomb explosion. The bomb was targeting their patrol in Hey Al Amil neighborhood south west Baghdad.

Baghdad - US vehicle was disabled by an IED explosion that targeted an American convoy in Al Bonok neighborhood east Baghdad.

Baghdad - American forces killed a mother and her child while they were walking in Al Saidiyah neighborhood south Baghdad.

Baghdad - IED exploded in Sleikh neighborhood north east Baghdad. No casualties recorded.

Baghdad - Two civilians were injured in an IED explosion that targeted the civilians in Al Obeidi neighborhood east Baghdad

Baghdad - A mortar shell fell in Adhemiyah neighborhood east Baghdad without causing any casualties.

Baghdad - An insurgent threw a grenade in a park in Al Zafaraniyah neighborhood south east Baghdad where children play soccer, injuring two of them.

Baghdad - 10 bodies were found in Baghdad today. 8 bodies were found in Karkh, the western part of Baghdad in the following neighborhoods (3 bodies in Doura, 2 bodies in Hay Al Amel, 2 bodies in Mamoun, 1 body in Hurriya.) 2 bodies were found in Risafa, the eastern part, one body in Amin neighborhood and another body in Fudheliyah neighborhood.

TAL AFAR - Four Sunnis were killed in the northern town of Tal Afar on Friday, police said.

TAL AFAR - Tuesday's suicide truck bombing in the northern town of Tal Afar left 152 people dead and 347 wounded according to a final tally revealed by Iraq's Interior Ministry. The bomb, which targeted a Shi'ite neighbourhood of the religiously mixed town, destroyed 100 homes. Forty-seven Sunnis were killed in reprisals after the attack.

KIRKUK - Gunmen ambushed a vehicle carrying civilian workers employed at an Iraqi military base near Hawija, 70 km (43 miles) southwest of Kirkuk, killing eight and wounding two, police said. Four brothers were among the dead.

Kirkuk- An explosive charge detonated on Saturday near a police vehicle patrol in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, killing a policeman and wounding two civilians, a police source said.

MAHMUDIYA - Three mortar bombs hit a residential area in Mahmudiya, 30 km (20 miles) south of Baghdad, killing two people and wounding four, police said.

HILLA - A car bomb killed four people and wounded 23 in the Shi'ite city of Hilla, 100 km (62 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.

TUZ KHURMATO - A suicide car bomb targeting Shi'ite day labourers killed two people and wounded 11 in the town of Tuz Khurmato, 70 km (43 miles) south of Kirkuk, police said.

SUWARYA - Five bodies were found blindfolded and handcuffed on Friday in the Tigris River near Suwayra, south of Baghdad, police said.

MOSUL - A parked car bomb targeting a police patrol wounded six people in the northern city of Mosul, 390 km (242 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.

KANAAN - The Iraqi army raided the town of Kanaan, near Baquba, and arrested 110 suspects, an Interior Ministry source said.

Diyala Province - Medical source said “we received 4 dead bodies and 2 injured” from Al Botoama village in Al Salam area. the victims were shot last night during clashes with gunmen near their village.

Diyala Province - Insurgents from Al Bazool village attacked Al Anbakia and Al Bo Toama villages last night. The clashes killed 2 and injured 2 from defenders. An American helicopter raided another group that was supporting the attackers and killed 2 of them.

Baqouba - A security source said that three civilians were killed by insurgents in Al Mu’alimeed neighborhood.

Baqouba - Two insurgents were killed in clashes with the security forces in Door Al Majoon neighborhood.

Muqdadiya – A civilian was killed in Muqdadiya town east north Baqouba.

DIWANIYA - A police officer was shot dead on Friday in front of his home in Diwaniya, 180 km (112 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.

Dalouiyah- An explosive charge detonated on Saturday near a police patrol in Dalouiyah, 90 km north of Baghdad, killing a policeman and wounding another, a police source said.

Diwaniyah- Unknown gunmen on Saturday killed a contractor along with his nephew and wounded his brother in Diwaniyah city, 180 km south of Baghdad, a police source said.

Dalouiyah- U.S. forces on Saturday detained four persons in a search campaign at a fuel station in Dalouiyah, 90 km north of Baghdad, a police source said.

Falluja- Mortar rounds were fired Saturday onto a U.S. base in Saqlawiyah, 15 km northwest of Falluja, local residents said.

Falluja- Unknown gunmen on Saturday shot and killed a senior officer from the former Iraqi army in Falluja, 45 km west of Baghdad, a police source said.

Basra- British forces arrested in the early hours of Saturday three suspected gunmen in a search campaign in central Basra, while a British base came under attack with no damage reported in the southern Iraqi city, the spokeswoman for the British forces in southern Iraq said.

Sawirah- An explosive charge went off on Saturday in a bus station in Sawirah, southeast of Baghdad, killing a civilian and wounding four others, a local police source said.

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