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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?

#151

Post by sanderjd »

rbanffy wrote: post #143
sanderjd wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who is crying about that? You just mean the administration? If so, then sure. But Americans at large aren't under any illusions about whether anyone would or should be helping with this.

I've heard more than one complaining that Iran was an everybody problem because "nuclear weapons" and that the US is doing all the heavy lifting. I usually reply to that with reminding them Obama solved the problem and that Trump destroyed that accomplishment out of spite.

Yeah fair enough, there's always someone saying anything :) But my sense is that this is not a commonly held view.

Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?

#152

Post by SanjayMehta »

tencentshill wrote: post #105
SanjayMehta wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at the body exchange ratios between The Ukraine and Russia. Jan 29th: 1000 - 38 Feb 26th: 1000 - 35 Apr 9th: 1000 - 41 May 15th: 526 - 41 Jun 18th: 522 - 33 Jul 16th: 501 - 31 Total: 4549 - 219

The only sources I can find for that are all Russian. Wikipedia (Which I assume you will dismiss out of hand) says it's complicated to determine at best, as they both hide information and boost propaganda. At least don't state it as fact. No one actually knows, which is why citing sources is helpful so that weight can be added.

Mediazona is a British intelligence asset and even they can't find the Russian bodies that western propaganda hallucinates.

While YouTube is full of videos of miles and miles of Ukrainian graveyards.

No need to use the Wikipedia excuse.

Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?

#153

Post by hackinthebochs »

IAmBroom wrote: post #106
hackinthebochs wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's interesting how casually we replace concern for the population with concern for the political entity. No, the Ukrainian identity will not cease to exist with the replacement of the political entity.

You are stunningly unaware or maliciously ignoring the cultural genocide that Russia is engaging in, inside taken territories. Children are routinely taken from parents and shipped off to Russia. Parents are encarcerated, conscripted, or slaughtered.

Do you have a source for this? The closest thing I've heard of was vague reports of children being shipped to Russia. I'm not denying it has ever happened, but the question is what is the motivation, how systematic is it, etc.

Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?

#154

Post by NordStreamYacht »

lo_zamoyski wrote: post #66
tialaramex wrote: post #21

To "win" a war you must have specific and measurable goals. If your politicians start a war but cannot articulate such goals, you're going to lose. They'll assure you they will win, but they've already lost. They are bad at their jobs, why did you hire these morons?

> why did you hire these morons? The democratic process is the selection of incompetent people by unqualified people.

"Democracy is a form of government that substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few."

George Bernard Shaw

Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?

#156

Post by LargoLasskhyfv »

giardini wrote: post #129
greenoracle9 wrote: post #47

It depends on what "win" means. The US can win the opening military phase pretty decisively. The part that keeps failing is turning that into a political end state that can survive after the shooting slows down.

It should be no surprise that the US cannot immediately overwhelm Iran, which has prepared for war with the USA since the overthrow of the Shah in 1979. Iran's new leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in November 1979, one day after 66 American diplomats and civilians were taken hostage at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, labelled the USA "the Great Satan": https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/07/18/iran-ayat... Con…

Just let it rain extasy pills, fentanyl, and whatnot else instead of bombs. Same for asphyxiation of bunkers, gas them with some airborne aerosolized opiods, like the russians did in a cinema in Moscow during a hostage situation.

Or PCP! HARR!

Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?

#157

Post by enopod_ »

hackinthebochs wrote: post #153
IAmBroom wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are stunningly unaware or maliciously ignoring the cultural genocide that Russia is engaging in, inside taken territories. Children are routinely taken from parents and shipped off to Russia. Parents are encarcerated, conscripted, or slaughtered.

Do you have a source for this? The closest thing I've heard of was vague reports of children being shipped to Russia. I'm not denying it has ever happened, but the question is what is the motivation, how systematic is it, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_abductions_in_the_Russo-...

Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?

#158

Post by wasfgwp »

strictnein wrote: post #150
wasfgwp wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The stock market did great during WW2, though. Of course this time its not dominated by industrial conglomerates which can retool their factories to manufacture military equipment.

The DJIA was more or less flat during WW2. Not sure where you've read that it was "great". During the middle of the war it was down 35-40%.

It was certainly not flat. There was a lot of volatility.

> Not sure where you've read that it was

Well.. I looked at the charts. The bottom was few months after Pearl Harbor and pretty much straight up after that. It certainly did much better after US joined than while it was staying out..

Re: Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?

#160

Post by hackinthebochs »

enopod_ wrote: post #157
hackinthebochs wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have a source for this? The closest thing I've heard of was vague reports of children being shipped to Russia. I'm not denying it has ever happened, but the question is what is the motivation, how systematic is it, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_abductions_in_the_Russo-...

Thanks, seems comprehensive
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