I initially thought it might be a deception. But the problem is that it’s become so embarrassing to the people in power that I can’t believe they would continue with the charade if that were the case.
I think Occam’s razor says they are just incredibly incompetent.
You may be right. God help us, as who knows what China and Russia have discovered about American military capabilities and foreign policy because of the ineptitude of our military and intelligence agencies. Were it not for the ferocity of Ukrainian resistance, the Russians would be threatening Moldova, and the Chinese would be moving on to Taiwan. They have no reason to fear America or the West.