3 ms·

It doesn't help that the political leadership keeps telling the population that these wars will take a couple weeks and cost a pittance.

goodcanadian 7y ago
When George W. Bush did his infamous "Mission Accomplished" stunt,[1] he was sort of right. The "war" had been won. The trouble was that there was no plan for what to do next. The occupation was managed poorly and the insurgency had a chance to grow turning what really was a quick victory into a protracted "war." [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Accomplished_speech https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Accomplished_speech
- agapon 7y ago
  Of course, the real root cause of many subsequent troubles and years of war is that there was no reason to attack, even less invade, either Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11. GWB just had to do something to show that he protects Americans and retaliates against enemies. So, he did that. And it was a big mistake on many levels.
  - AnimalMuppet 7y ago
    Iraq? Perhaps not. But Afghanistan was sheltering Osama Bin Laden, and would not hand him over (or even expel him). Leaving him free to operate after 9/11 did not look like a good option.
  - austincheney 7y ago
    You can argue the supposed need of invasion either way. That had no bearing on why it took long though.
- taejo 7y ago
  America won the war, but lost the peace
austincheney 7y ago
They were telling people that at the beginning of the civil war. Houston and Sherman were laughed at for thinking otherwise. This was also the thinking before each of the world wars and Vietnam. You would think people would be educated enough to see through that bullshit on its face regardless of what politicians say. I don’t have any sympathy for people lacking this ultra basic level of education.
- Consultant32452 7y ago
  To be fair, the people lying about how long war takes are the same people in control of the education.

goodcanadian 7y ago

When George W. Bush did his infamous "Mission Accomplished" stunt,[1] he was sort of right. The "war" had been won. The trouble was that there was no plan for what to do next. The occupation was managed poorly and the insurgency had a chance to grow turning what really was a quick victory into a protracted "war." [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Accomplished_speech https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Accomplished_speech

agapon 7y ago
Of course, the real root cause of many subsequent troubles and years of war is that there was no reason to attack, even less invade, either Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11. GWB just had to do something to show that he protects Americans and retaliates against enemies. So, he did that. And it was a big mistake on many levels.
- AnimalMuppet 7y ago
  Iraq? Perhaps not. But Afghanistan was sheltering Osama Bin Laden, and would not hand him over (or even expel him). Leaving him free to operate after 9/11 did not look like a good option.
- austincheney 7y ago
  You can argue the supposed need of invasion either way. That had no bearing on why it took long though.
taejo 7y ago
America won the war, but lost the peace

austincheney 7y ago

They were telling people that at the beginning of the civil war. Houston and Sherman were laughed at for thinking otherwise. This was also the thinking before each of the world wars and Vietnam. You would think people would be educated enough to see through that bullshit on its face regardless of what politicians say. I don’t have any sympathy for people lacking this ultra basic level of education.

Consultant32452 7y ago
To be fair, the people lying about how long war takes are the same people in control of the education.