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


Monday, August 26, 2013

War News for Monday, August 26, 2013


Reported security incidents
#1: Two Afghan army soldier and five militants were killed Monday morning when Taliban raided an Afghan army base in Tagab district of the eastern province of Kapisa, an official said. "The Taliban militants numbered around 15 tried to enter the army base in Orsak area of Tagab district at around 6:30 a.m. local time. They attempted to take control of the compound. They failed to enter pass the first gate as the army soldiers responded to the attack, killing five militants," the provincial government spokesman Fiaz Qadiri told Xinhua. He said two Afghan army soldiers were also killed in the incident, adding the gunfight also injured 10 militants. The injured militants were captured by the troops, he added. The militants also detonated a car bomb near the gate of the facility.

#2: Armed militants have torched two NATO oil tankers that were carrying fuel for US-led coalition troops in Afghanistan. The tankers came under attack in Khuzdar district of Balochistan when militants opened fire on the tankers in order to stop them. No one was injured in the attack. The drivers escaped the attack and managed to flee from the tankers.

#3: Twelve militants were killed and 16 others arrested as Afghan army and police launched several cleanup operations within a 24-hour period, the country's Interior Ministry said Monday morning. "The Afghan National Police (ANP) conducted several clearance operations with the cooperation of Afghan National Army, NDS ( National Directorate of Security) or intelligence service to clean some of the areas from terrorists and enemies of peace and stability in Baghlan, Kapisa, Kunduz, Jowzjan, Uruzgan, Wardak, Logar, Farah and Helmand provinces. Up to 12 armed Taliban were killed, two wounded and 16 others were arrested over the last 24 hours during the above raids," the ministry said in a statement.

#4: According to Afghan defense officials, at last 5 Afghan national army soldiers were killed and 13 others were injured during military operations across the country. The Ministry of Defense following a statement said the Afghan national army soldiers were killed or injured in militants direct attack and roadside bomb blasts. The statement further added, three Afghan national army soldiers were killed in Dehrawood district of southern Uruzgan province, one soldier was killed in Maiwand district of southern Kandahar province, and another soldier lost his life in Marjah district of southern Helmand province. The defense ministry also added that 13 soldiers were injured during military operations across the country during the past 24 hours, while eight militants were also killed during the operations. According to ministry of defense, six militants were killed during military operation in eastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan, during a military operation conducted by Afghan security forces to clear the area from militants activities.

 

US/DoD: Spc. Kenneth Clifford Alvarez

US/DoD: Pvt. Jonathon Michael Dean Hostetter

POL/DM: chorąży Mirosław Łucki

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