Although the United States is widely acknowledged as the most powerful military force on earth, we haven’t decisively won a war since the hawkish-sounding Department of War became the peaceful-sounding Department of Defense, way back in 1947. We’ve never actually lost a war. Frankly we never came very close, not since the successful conclusion of our second and last war with Great Britain. Still, we managed to “invite” replays of major wars. For instance, When World War I ended with an armistice instead of a decisive victory, it set the stage for World War II. By learning our lessons, it...