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


Tuesday, April 14, 2009

War News for Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The DND/CF is reporting the death of a Canadian ISAF soldier in an IED attack in the Shah Wali Kowt District, north of Kandahar City, Kandahar province, Afghanistan on Monday, April 13th. Four additional soldiers were wounded in the attack. Here is the ISAF release.


Iraq Kurdish force 'beyond law'

Second female Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan:

Testimony to resume in slaying of 2 US soldiers:

Signs of extremists' resurgence in Iraq:

Iraqi prime minister blames Baghdad bombings on Baathists:

Allied Militants Threaten Pakistan’s Populous Heart:

Pakistan parliament approves Islamic law in Swat valley:


Reported Security incidents:

Baghdad:
#1: Around 9 p.m. gunmen threw a grenade on a liquor shop near Kahramana square in Karrada neighborhood in downdown Baghdad on Monday. Four shoppers were wounded.


Diyala Prv:
Baquba:
#1: Four houses belonging to formerly displaced persons in Diala province were detonated by a group of gunmen, according to an official security source. “Gunmen believed to belong to al-Qaeda organization blew up four houses belonging to formerly displaced families that have returned to their places of origin on al-Shaheed St. and al-Muallimeen neighborhood, downtown Baaquba, throughout the past few weeks,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “Three civilians, including a child, were wounded as a result of the explosion,” the source explained, adding that considerable damage was reported to the houses.

#2: One police officer was killed and another injured during a raid in al Tahrir neighbourhood late Monday.


Kut:
#1: A civilian was wounded on Monday by unknown gunmen in western Kut city, a security source said. “Unknown gunmen shot and wounded a civilian in front of his house in al-Jihad neighborhood in western Kut,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency, noting that he was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.


Sulaimaniyah:
#1: A fight broke out between a policeman and a civilian in front of the courthouse in the city of Sulaimaniyah, Monday, when the policeman started shooting randomly, injuring two women and one man.


Mosul:
#1: Unknown gunmen on Monday killed a mayor in eastern Mosul city, according to a police source said. “Unknown gunmen on Monday (April 13) killed Thaer al-Dabouni, the mayor of al-Qadissiya al-Thaniya neighborhood in eastern Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “They opened fire on him and fled to unknown place,” he added.


Al Anbar Prv:
#1: Police forces on Monday found the body of a kidnapped police officer in northern Anbar, a police source said. “Unknown gunmen had kidnapped a police captain on Sunday (April 12) from al-Therthar region in northern Anbar and took him to an unknown place,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The police found the officer’s body in al-Therthar desert,” he added, noting that the body bore signs of torture and gunshot wounds.



Afghanistan: "The Forgotten War"
#1: Afghan troops on Monday killed two insurgents in Paktika province, around 150 km (95 miles) south of Kabul, when they responded to an attack with heavy fire, the defence ministry said in a statement:

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