Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?
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Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?
#2In WW2 thousands of troops could die in a single day and we wouldn't know their names until months or years later. Today a single troop dies and it is the first story on the national news. Millions of civilians also died, just the amount of soldier deaths would be the equivalent of 2-3 September 11s (worldwide) every day for a period of 6 years.
So we say "war" but modern conflicts are absolutely nothing compared to what has happened historically. Even though these new "wars" don't seem to have the same definitive results, the alternative could be much, much worse. We're much better off with the bomb critical sites, apply sanctions and political pressure methods vs. the send entire generations off to die methods of old.
Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?
#3They are pretty good in the comment sections online.
In the real world, they choose to engage in wars that provide political power for the underlying party in power, without having a clear goal or objective on how the war would benefit the average U.S. person. This becomes more and more apparent as they continue to lose, until it’s viewed as a “success” by an invented exit criteria at the 11th hour.
Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?
#4In WW2 thousands of troops could die in a single day and we wouldn't know their names until months or years later. Today a single troop dies and it is the first story on the national news. Millions of civilians also died, just the amount of soldier deaths would be the equivalent of 2-3 September 11s (worldwide) every day for a period of 6 years. So we say "war" but modern conflicts are absolutely nothing compared to…
The “special military operation” euphemism that both the US/Russia used in Iran/Ukraine does have a degree of truth.
These wars are really military engagements with directional objectives rather than truly existential wars with binary outcomes.
Modern wars really resemble Rome’s Germanic wars more than the Punic ones.
Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?
#5Depends on the war. Venezuela was quickly won.
Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?
#6Because US Leadership is inept. Have been since the 50s.
Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?
#7In WW2 thousands of troops could die in a single day and we wouldn't know their names until months or years later. Today a single troop dies and it is the first story on the national news. Millions of civilians also died, just the amount of soldier deaths would be the equivalent of 2-3 September 11s (worldwide) every day for a period of 6 years. So we say "war" but modern conflicts are absolutely nothing compared to…
> send entire generations off to die methods of old
Of old? Isn't that what Russia is doing right now?
Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?
#8what an ugly question
super easy for US to kill lots of innocent civilians tho
just get rid of the agencies responsible for reviewing targets for civilians
imagine one person being able to put the entire country into yet another forever war
it will be 2029 and this nightmare will still be going down, sucking trillions from our economy while everyone suffers his damn ego
now we are taking out civilian bridges and water supplies, Iranians will never forgive us for generations, wait a another decade or two and the idiots here will elect someone even worse
btw diesel will hit all time record by the end of this year so even those who really don't care kids are being murdered for no reason might finally take it personally
Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?
#9Depends on the war. Venezuela was quickly won.
Wasn't a war but a criminal kidnapping under Venezuelan and international law.
The White House asserts that it is defending the American people from the devastating consequences of the illegal importation of drugs by ‘narco-terrorists’ – consequences that could be compared to an armed attack against the US. However, in international law, only a kinetic assault with military or similar means qualifies as a trigger for self-defence.
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/01/us-capture-president-ni...
Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?
#10In WW2 thousands of troops could die in a single day and we wouldn't know their names until months or years later. Today a single troop dies and it is the first story on the national news. Millions of civilians also died, just the amount of soldier deaths would be the equivalent of 2-3 September 11s (worldwide) every day for a period of 6 years. So we say "war" but modern conflicts are absolutely nothing compared to…
> single troop dies
Really, now? What national news do you watch? I have literally never seen current/breaking news stories about the death of American troops in action. It seems literally the most silent thing going on. I really don't know--are casualty numbers reported on a regular basis, from the "front"?
I would sometimes, after the fact, learn of repatriation flights or interment ceremonies for fallen soldiers. But only on a sporadic basis. Literally, I think I would be familiar with them by now, since Operation Desert Storm or so. This is not something they put on the news. I think that a comparison of casualties from allied and belligerent troops would be something to report, but if they do, it's just sort of being slotted into some Wikipedia article somewhere, I guess.