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


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

War News for Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The DoD is reporting the death of a Marine previously unreported by the military. Staff Sgt. Joseph H. Fankhauser died in combat operations somewhere in Helmand province, Afghanistan on Sunday, April 22nd.


Gagetown soldiers in Afghanistan may return early

NATO Shows Confidence in Afghan Security Forces


Reported security incidents
#1: Eight Taliban militants have been killed and 15 suspects arrested during cleanup operations in different Afghan provinces within the past 24 hours, the country's Interior Ministry said Tuesday morning. "Afghan National Police (ANP), army, NDS or intelligence agency and Coalition Forces launched six joint cleanup operations in Kabul, Nangarhar, Parwan, Kunduz, Helmand and Logar provinces over the past 24 hours, killing eight armed Taliban insurgents and detaining 15 other suspects,"the ministry said in a statement.
#2: Afghan defense ministry officials following a statement on Tuesday announced at least 4 Afghan national army soldiers were killed and injured in southern Kandahar province. The source further added the incident took place in Shahwalikot district of southern Kandahar province after armed militants opened on Afghan national soldiers killing, at least 1 service member and injuring 3 others.

DoD:  Staff Sgt. Joseph H. Fankhauser

Posted by whisker at 2:49 AM

1 comments:

Cervantes said...

David Swanson of War is a Crime (formerly After Downing Street) translates the AP story on the Strategic Partnership Agreement into actual facts. Sample:

AP story: The U.S. and Afghanistan reached a deal Sunday on a long-delayed strategic partnership agreement that ensures Americans will provide military and financial support to the Afghan people for at least a decade beyond 2014, the deadline for most foreign forces to withdraw.

Swanson: By "Afghan people" is meant war lords. Other Afghan people are militarily supported with bullets in the head and financially supported with jobs working for the resistance to the U.S. and NATO forces, but that's about it.

AP: The pact is key to the U.S. exit strategy in Afghanistan because it establishes guidelines for any American forces who remain after the withdrawal deadline and for financial help to the impoverished country and its security forces.

Swanson: So, an agreement to stay for 10 years is necessary for leaving.

Etc.

April 24, 2012 at 9:49 AM

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