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, December 7, 2014

News of the Day for Sunday, December 7, 2014

One Afghan soldier is killed and 3 are injured by a mine in Kandahar. Officials blame the Taliban.

 U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan kills 5 militants, including one Umar Farooq, who is said to have been the commander of al Qaeda operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan. 

A second drone strike in Kunar province is said to have killed 9 Pakistani Taliban.

Unknown attackers toss a hand grenade at a wedding party in Balkh, killing 4 and injuring 12.

Taliban attack a police outpost in Helmand province, killing 5. Taliban casualties are unknown.

Afghan security forces rescue 5 police who were taken prisoner a month ago in an attack on outposts in Warduj, Badakhshan. A total of 20 personnel were captured at that time; efforts are underway to rescue the remaining 15.

Outgoing U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel makes an unannounced visit to Kabul on Saturday. Hagel and president Ghani speak at a press conference, don't say anything particularly revalatory.

Senior Taliban commander Latif Mehsud is returned to Pakistan. He was captured by U.S. forces last year. This is part of a prisoner exchange signaling better relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. [However, this tale is odd. It appears the U.S., who held him, flew him to Islamabad. This suggests the U.S. is now more willing to trust the Pakistanis, but what it has to do with Af/Pak relations is not clear to me. -- C]

WaPo's Sudasan Raghavan discusses the bad security situation  on the Kabul-Jalalabad road, the "Valley of Death." 

 

Posted by Cervantes at 5:03 AM

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