In Iraq, our ground troop shortages meant we couldn't secure the military bases and munitions dumps & key infrastructure & put the hammer down in Tikrit & Fallujah from the get go. So the bad guys easily re-grouped, got their supplies, attained some early successes & have been given the opportunity to plan, rehearse, and adapt.
In both cases, if we hit with all we had at the beginning, there would have been no chance to adapt & re-group & get away & realize--hey! we can take the Americans!
We will win--but it will take longer than it should have & cost more lives & $ because we had a SECDEF who doesn't understand land warfare and doesn't listen to those who do.
That bear repeating my screaming eagle friend. I am posting from Camp As Saliyah in beautiful Doha, Qatar. Yourself?