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, December 8, 2008

War News for Monday, December 08, 2008

Airpower summary Dec. 5:

Dec. 6 airpower summary:

Taliban in 72 percent of Afghanistan, think-tank says:

Taliban chief: More fighting to come:

5 Filipino troops killed in clash with militants:

US Army asked to review 2 troop deaths in Iraq:

Kurdish rebels halt attacks for Muslim holiday:

Asia Times: NATO scuttles US plan to encircle Russia:


Reported Security incidents:

Al Anbar Prv:
Ramadi:
#1: A joint force of Iraqi Police and US military found 20 unidentified corpses in Albyar area southeast of Ramadi city on Monday morning. The corpses were moved to Fallujah and buried in al Maadhidi cemetery in downtown Fallujah.



Afghanistan:
#1: Militants in Pakistan torched 50 more military trucks early Monday in the northwestern city of Peshawar, a police official said, in the latest attacks on supply lines into Afghanistan for the United States and its allies. Muhammad Iftikhar, deputy superintendent of Peshawar police, told CNN that Monday's attack targeted a truck terminal on the same road where militants destroyed scores of containers, trailers and vehicles on Sunday. The supplies were destined for the Afghan National Army, a spokesman for NATO in the Afghan capital, Kabul said. There were no injuries or arrests reported.

Armed militants torched nearly 100 vehicles destined for NATO forces in Afghanistan early Monday, the second such raid in two days, police said. This time the attackers set nearly 100 vehicles alight including jeeps and 20 supply trucks after dousing them with petrol, police said.Firefighters called to the scene managed to save another 40.

#2: Militants also fired rockets at two trucks carrying supplies for Nato forces as they drove along the ring road overnight. The route from Peshawar through the Khyber Pass to the border town of Torkham is the most important supply line for US and Nato forces fighting a Taliban insurgency in landlocked Afghanistan.

#3: U.S.-led coalition and Afghan forces killed six militants during a security patrol in the Sangin district, about 490 km (305 miles) southwest of Kabul, on Sunday, the U.S. military said.


It seems to be a slow news day but I'll do an update later today if needed. -- whisker

Posted by whisker at 4:24 AM

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