Some time after WW II, the USA either forgot how to actually fight a war to win, or the “powers that be” chose to quit winning wars.
Korea ended in a stalemate
Vietnam ended in the US tucking tail and running
In the first Gulf War, we chose to quit before we won.
In our current “wars”, we continue to fight a “war” by tying the hands of our warriors with insane rules of engagement, catch-and-release of terrorists caught in the act, and we wonder why a handful of those warriors behave badly? I think we should be praising the 99.9999% of them who actually carry out their jobs with honor.
By no- we have to make them all out to be monsters.
I have long stated that we have worked very hard to take the horrors out of war. The civilization of warfare has led to the state of perpetual warfare. Until we humans return to absolute war with absolute caputulation with all the horrors of total conquest and the loser cries out “no more” - the politicians will be far to ready to risk the people in war.
For only in total conquest will a person, nation, and the world learn the harsh reality of war. And when the politicians once again rattle their sabers and cry out for blood, then the PEOPLE will say no, we will not do that or risk that, again.