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, October 6, 2010

War News for Wednesday, October 06, 2010

NATO is reporting the death of an ISAF soldier from an IED attack in an undisclosed location in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, October 5th


Rocket fired at British embassy vehicle in Yemen

Karzai’s Kin Use Ties to Gain Power in Afghanistan

Taliban in high-level talks with Karzai government, sources say - (I don't buy the premise of this article.)


Reported security incidents

Baghdad:
#1: Eight people were wounded Tuesday in two consecutive blasts in al-Kadhimiya region, northwestern Baghdad, a source from the interior ministry said. “Two bombs exploded consecutively on Tuesday evening (Oct. 5) near a police traffic patrol in al-Kadhimiya region, northwestern Baghdad,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency, noting that the blasts wounded four cops and four civilians and damaged the vehicle.

#2: One policeman was wounded and a gunman was arrested after three hand grenades explosions in western Baghdad, according to a security source. “Three gunmen threw three hand grenades on a police vehicle patrol in al-Iskan neighborhood, western Baghdad, injuring a cop,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “One of the attackers was arrested, while the two remaining gunmen fled to an unknown place,” the source added, without giving more details.

#3: An Iraqi colonel was seriously wounded on Wednesday when a sticky bomb attached to his car went off in northwestern Baghdad. “The blast took place today in the al-Dolaee area, northwestern Baghdad, when the colonel was on his way to work,” a local security source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#4: Two policemen were wounded on Wednesday when a roadside bomb hit their patrol vehicle in eastern Baghdad. “The blast occurred today in the al-Ghadeer area, eastern Baghdad,” a local police source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Diyala Prv:
#1: A suicide bomber was killed on Tuesday in northeastern Baaquba, a police source said.“A military force opened fire on Tuesday (Oc. 5) on a suicide bomber driving a car bomb toward a funeral of cops, who had been killed in a bomb explosion on Monday (Oct. 4), killing him instantly,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The car exploded without casualties,” he added.

#2: An improvised explosive device went off on Monday in al-Shuhadaa neighborhood in Jalawlaa district in Khanaqin, targeting a police vehicle patrol, killing four cops, including a colonel, and injuring two more.


Missan Prv:
#1: Police forces on Wednesday defused five locally-made roadside bombs planted northwest of Amara city. “The roadside bombs were planted in the al-Btera area, 10 km northwest of the Amara city,” a local police source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.


Mosul:
#1: Two women were killed on Tuesday by gunmen in western Mosul, a police source said. “Unknown gunmen on Tuesday (Oct. 5) killed two women in al-Ariebi neighborhood in western Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: A senior police officer was wounded Tuesday in a bomb blast that targeted his motorcade in western Mosul, according to a police source. “Deputy director of the checkpoints affairs of the Ninewa police, Colonel Hazem Hamoud Ali, was wounded on Tuesday evening (Oct. 5) in an explosive charge blast that targeted his motorcade in al-Islah al-Zeraie neighborhood, western Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The attack also injured two policemen,” he added.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: In the roadside bombings Tuesday night in Kandahar city, Interior Ministry said nine people were killed and 30 injured, including many police officers. The blasts targeted a police vehicle and ripped through an intersection.

#2: In other violence, a powerful roadside bomb destroyed a civilian vehicle Wednesday, killing three fruit farmers in southeastern Afghanistan. The blast occurred as the farmers were taking their produce to market, said Mohammad Jan Rasoulyar, spokesman for Zabul province's governor.

#3: Separately, a NATO airstrike killed Qari Ziauddin, identified as the Taliban's "shadow" governor of Faryab province, and four other insurgents Tuesday, the alliance said.

#4: Gunmen torched more than two dozen tankers carrying fuel to NATO troops and killed a driver Wednesday, the sixth attack on convoys taking supplies to Afghanistan since Pakistan closed a key border crossing almost a week ago. The attack early Wednesday morning came on trucks on their way to the Chaman crossing. An unidentified number of gunmen in two vehicles attacked the trucks as they sat in the parking lot of a roadside hotel on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. At least 25 trucks were destroyed by fire that spread quickly from vehicle to vehicle, senior police official Hamid Shakil said.

#5: At least one people was killed and two others injured in a blast in northwest Pakistan's Bannu area on Wednesday, local TV channels reported. The blast took place in the Azmat Khel area of Bannu, a city in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, according to the local TV DAWN News.


DoD: Spc. Joseph T. Prentler

DoD: Sgt. Brian J. Pedro

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