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


Sunday, October 9, 2016

Update for Sunday, October 9, 2016


Heavy fighting close to Farah City has businesses closed and many residents fleeing. Despite resistance by local militias and some air strikes, Taliban are said to be advancing toward the city center.

Afghan military helicopter crashes in Baghlan, killing all 7 on board. As usual, conflicting claims as to whether mechanical failure or hostile action caused crash.

Seige of 50 Afghan forces in Faryab is relieved after 6 days.

Three Afghan police killed in an attack in Zabul where fighting is said to be increasing recently.

Roadside bomb in Jalalabad kills or injures 3 police and 2 civilians. (Reports are ambiguous or conflicting as to whether the injuries were fatal.)

Two police injured by roadside bomb in Nangarhar.

Government claims 86 insurgents killed in Helmand in past 48 hours, as usual makes no mention of any government casualties. All we can conclude from these reports is that fighting is occurring; otherwise I would not put any credence in them.

Air strikes, presumably by U.S. drones, said to kill 34 IS adherents in Nangarhar. Note that this is really a breakaway faction of the Taliban that has adopted the IS brand name. As usual, there is no corroboration of this claim, nor is it at all clear how the coalition could establish such a precise death toll from an air strike.

Two U.S. troops injured by an explosion in Jalalabad on Saturday. No report on the severity of their injuries.

Fighting continues in Kunduz with civilians fleeing as conditions continue to be dire.

Posted by Cervantes at 5:50 AM

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