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

Key Points:

• The U.S. has engaged in prolonged conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Iran over the past 25 years, with overwhelming military force failing to achieve lasting political success or stability in the region.
• Experts like Peter Bergen and Paul Salem argue that the U.S. consistently fails to plan for post-war peace and relies too heavily on military power over diplomacy, expecting quick, low-cost victories that rarely materialize.
• President Trump’s approach to the Iran conflict involves heavy bombing without ground troops, limiting casualties but also requiring scaled-back goals; critics warn that maximalist aims without sufficient means reduce chances of success.
• Asymmetric warfare tactics by local forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran have effectively countered U.S. military superiority, highlighting the limits of technology and firepower against homegrown resistance.
• The 1991 Gulf War is cited as a rare example of clear, limited objectives and international cooperation leading to swift success, contrasting with the more complex and unresolved conflicts that followed.