What happened to the “Four Year Rule”?
When I was a kid growing up, the history books were clear on this matter. The US government would get involved, and four (4) years later, they won, and that would it. See: 1861-1865, 1914-1918 1941-1945
I’m only half joking, if a situation can’t be resolved in 4 years, the hell with it. Don’t get involved in the first place either, if the government is not prepared to achieve their objectives. The latter day policies of half-assed BS, criminal rules of engagement and telegraphing war plans, all that’s nonsense. They can’t even articulate why “we” are deployed in all these different shitholes around the world. “Compelling national interest”? Sure, take another bong hit.
Bring the troops home.
You make a lot of good points, but history shows many of our conflicts lasting much longer. The Indian Wars in the West went on for about 100 years. The so called Banana Wars in Latin America lasted 36 years. We were fighting in the Philippines for 14 years. The Cold War lasted 45.
In today’s reality conflicts tend to be low intensity test of wills instead of large scale wars with set piece battles between national armies. Does the United States still have the will to win? That’s the real issue.