The US military is the largest and most expensive one in the world. Despite that, it also has a very dismal record in terms of winning wars since World War II.
They didn't have any success in unifying the two Koreas in the Korean War which eventually split into the communist North and the more pro-Western South. Then came the Vietnam War which was also a huge defeat. Since then, several other military operations were conducted in the Middle East and Africa which didn't make much success.
So what's with this losing streak?
Some analysts locate the problem within the military’s culture. American forces have been trained, organized and indoctrinated in conventional operations using high-tech weaponry, so they have been fighting with a considerable handicap.
Other students of recent American wars see hubris as a major factor in explaining military failure. Policymakers and generals alike have consistently underestimated their enemies, particularly their staying power. As the political scientist Dominic Tierney quipped, “We have the power. They have the willpower.”
Others point to American politics and how, despite the military being respected by the American public, they are disengaged. The military has been placed under the control of a national security establishment which does as it sees fit.
So what would be best for the US military going forward? Some veterans share their opinions on the matter on The Daily Beast.
(Image credit: The US Army/Flickr; Wikimedia Commons)