Well, militarily or politically we never managed to stop the flow of men and materials into South Vietnam. And once the Chinese committed to the fight in Korea we could not stop the flow of men and equipment either. In both cases we settled for reduced objectives.
My point in all this is that until we commit to defeating the Iranian Islamic Republic victory in Iraq or Lebanon will remain elusive. In Iraq foreign fighters are flowing in both from the border with Iran and Syria. In Lebanon what's the point of reducing the Hizzies to a grease spot at great cost, if they just grow back in another 5 years?
Iran must be destroyed.
Iirc, LeMay wanted to nuke the Chinese (we could have helped Chiang defeat Mao, too) if they crossed the Yalu. That was nixed by politicians.
It really does not matter what we are militarily capable of, if we lack the political will to use that capability.
In this instance, in the war against the terrorist element of Islam, we are being neutered by our own press, cowing spineless politicians at will. Even the subtle weakness of the current government in Israel, a State which has always been steadfast in its own defense is an example. Doctored images and staged slaughter have been used to halt an effective campaign, followed up with unanticipated materiel technology (probably courtesy of Iran), in a one-two punch to make the will of their Government waver. Frankly, I am shocked that a nation on the razor's edge of terrorism would be cowed thus and I anticipate a change of government there. The alternative is to place their nation at risk.
Just as in our instance, the alternative to the full, continued, and unwavering prosecution of the war on terrorist Islam is to place our nation, our safety, and our way of life at risk as well.
There is no substitute for victory.
Our 'negotiated ceasefire' in Korea has left the world with a loose end and a loose cannon in North Korea, our failure to continue to fight in Viet Nam caused the slaughter of hundreds of thousands directly, and more later in the purges of Pol Pot.
But that was "somewhere else", not here at home, and all too easily ignored by the press...and the people.
This time, the stakes are our wives and daughters, our sons, our towns, and our lives. It may not be at that point yet, but if we fail, if we falter in our resolve, it will be.
Our enemies will not settle for less than our complete destruction or dhimmitude. They will call for no 'cease fire' unless it is to provide them with a military advantage, and then only long enough to suit their purposes.
Unless you have stared Islam in its true face, you might be inclined to think there is a possibility of negotiations, of lessening the resolve of those who would harm us. Be ye not decieved.
There is no separation of church and state in Islam, sharia is the law, defined by religious leaders. There is no negotiation, what is written is written.
There is no easy way out of the situation both Israel and the U.S. face. It will be a long hard war against an enemy who will seek to use every trick to turn world opinion against us--remember, it is fully acceptable for Muslims to lie to infidels.
The sooner Americans realize this, the better.
Unfortunately, we have become as accustomed to capitulation in the guise of a "negotiated settlement" as the French we so often decry, hoping the problem will somehow go away. It won't.
In this we agree: Iran, or at a minimum, the current regime, must be destroyed by whatever means necessary, but that is just a good start.