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Originally Posted by richlevy
BTW, we may still be there another 5 years, ...
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In early 1940, the United States with but a trivial military, raised an Army, built a massive Air Force, built a massive merchant marine fleet, built a massive Navy, then transported all into a multi-theatre war on almost every continent, conducted multiple massive invasions of both islands and countries, and won all wars with unconditional surrenders. All that in but four years. And yet in four years, we will have diminished what existed in our military with a budget that approaches Cold War levels. Why? One war was fought due to a smoking gun and with a strategic objective. A second war was invented in Washington for a political agenda, has no strategic objective, therefore has no exit strategy, and has no ‘light at the end of a tunnel’.
Original reason for military operations - bin Laden - and we make no effort even to capture him. As PBS Frontline recently demonstrated, the reason Americans were involved in Tora Bora: rogue CIA agents went in on their own and without orders.
Four years to conquer multiple world powers because we were attacked. Because we Pearl Harbored a sovereign nation; in four years we still cannot finish off one nation let alone deal with another nation that actually attacked us? Welcome to a basic military principle called the strategic objective - which does not exist today and which is why a 'Mission Accomplished' war cannot be won. For those with basic military science training, a war without a strategic objective cannot be won. For same reasons that a war was created in Vietnam (including presidents that outright lie), then a draft becomes inevitable.
In but four years, and without a significant military, we won wars all over the world? Fundamental difference. A smoking gun existed, that war had a strategic objective, and that war was conducted by a leadership interested in America; not in promoting a political agenda.
Again, it begs one to divorce themselves from emotion; to observe from many perspectives; to appreciate why (just like in Vietnam) a draft may become necessary.