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


Friday, September 20, 2013

War News for Friday, September 20, 2013


US wars in Afghanistan, Iraq to cost $6 trillion

Qaeda Yemen attacks kill 40 police, troops: army

Suicide car bombings kill 40 army soldiers in southeast Yemen

Nepal: US Air force plane lands, supplies for Afghanistan or Tibet?


Reported security incidents
#1: THREE Australian special forces soldiers have been injured in Afghanistan during an operation resulting in the deaths of a number of insurgents, including a senior commander. Defence today released details of the operation in Oruzgan province last week, when Australian soldiers joined Afghan National Security Forces to fend off a heavy, prolonged insurgent attack. “At the time the entire force element was receiving heavy small arms fire, it was a situation that could have easily escalated,” the Australian unit's commanding officer said in the statement.

#2: At least five security men were injured when a blast occurred near their convoy while passing through Sibi on Friday, Geo News reported. According to police, a bomb possibly an improvised explosive device (IED) blasted near a security forces’ convoy in Sibi that wounded five security personnel.

#3: At least ten people, including a child and a woman, were injured on Thursday in a hand grenade attack on the Balochistan Constabulary Line (BCL) in the Sariab area of the provincial capital. According to the police, armed men on a motorcycle hurled a hand grenade on the BCL and fled. The FC and the police rushed to the spot soon after the incident and cordoned off the area. While talking to the media, Sariab SP Bashir Brahvi confirmed the incident and said ten people were injured in the attack.

Posted by whisker at 3:41 AM

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