Killing a bunch of folks isn't a victory. So we lose - because we have no idea of what we want to happen.
This has been our state of affairs ever since Korea.
You can’t hit a target if you can’t identify a target.
Mind you, “Killing a bunch of folks” is a clear-cut goal in how we need to handle Islam.
Killing a bunch of folks certainly can lead to victory (see: Hiroshima, Nagasaki). One talking point I wish Trump would start hammering is that in order to win the war against Islamic terrorists, we have to DESTROY THEIR WILL TO FIGHT. That's what's been lacking in our efforts to date, but was at the very heart of our fighting in WWII. This war will go on forever if we only launch periodic tactical strikes intended to destroy some equipment here, or take out a leader or two there. What is needed, just as with imperial Japan, is to so shock and devastate the enemy that they simply don't want to fight any longer.
I know, that assertion would lead to some uncomfortable questions from the media about what such an effort would entail, but it is the one key point that is not being discussed, but which is absolutely essential to victory.
It can be. And some would argue that it's the only REAL victory.
To kill so many of your enemy that they lose the will to fight and surrender without conditions.
As for insurgency, the same method can be applied.
Kill them until they tire of dying.
Maybe not; but it's a darned good start!