The politicians are running a war. I’m trying to remember if that had ever succeeded in the past or not./S
For sure, but those politicians have to "run" the very top level. Set the mission, or the objectives, and then turn the military loose. Even in WW-II, the President was running the war, but only at the "Grand strategy" level. The military wasn't all that fond of "Europe First" particularly the Navy and Marines.
It's when they start, as the Swabbies would put it, "giving rudder orders", making detailed decisions on movements, rules of engagement and even authorizations to hit individual targets, that the wheels tend to fall off. Or when they ignore the advice of military leadership.
But the real problems come when they set the rules and make the decisions to play to a domestic audience, either their supporters or their opponents.
Of course we haven't had a case where the CinC was more sympathetic to the enemy than to the national security of our own country, so we are in uncharted territory.