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, August 16, 2014

War News for Saturday, August 16, 2014


Rain-related incidents leave 18 dead in Peshawar


Reported security incidents
#1: The International Committee of the Red Cross in Afghanistan is trying to secure the release of five of their staff members who were abducted in the western Herat province, a spokesman said Saturday. The employees were traveling by road on Friday when they were detained by a local armed group, said Marek Resich, an ICRC spokesman.
 
#2: Two Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers were killed and two others were injured when terrorists attacked their convoy in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon.
 
#3: A clash took place between armed rebels and Afghan security forces in Ghaziabad district of Kunar provinces in which tens of rebels killed. Gen. Abdul-Habib Sayedkhail police chief of Kunar said BNA, clash occurred last night between security forces and armed oppositions while armed rebels wanted to target Afghan security posts in Ghazibabd district. an ANA solider and a police were also martyred in the clash.
 
#4: Afghan security forces launching operations in some provinces of the country killed 42 armed rebels.
 
#5: At least 23 rockets were fired in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan in the latest spate of cross-border shelling from the other side of Durand Line. Provincial police chief, Gen. Abdul Habib Syed Khel, said the rockets were fired on Friday night and landed in Marwara and Dangam districts.
 
#6: At least three policemen were killed following an airstrike by NATO-led coalition forces in northern Parwan province of Afghanistan. Local government officiails, said the incident took place on Friday in Ghorband district of Parwan province.

Posted by whisker at 5:02 AM

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