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cultural dissonance and distrust. Given the abundantly obvious difference in technological capabilities, the insurgents gain strength in purpose as they learn to counteract their weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Guerrilla warfare is by definition asymmetric and requires irrational faith in the cause. The longer the insurgents and terrorists are able to persist in their efforts, the greater their confidence in the ability to continue to do so. That was true during the American Revolution.

America doesn't have the economic and financial strength to outlast the insurgents and terrorists and America lacks the fortitude of purpose. Just as in Vietnam, Americans are confused about why we are fighting the insurgents and as a result, we don't see the purpose or need for continuing to fight the war as we have been. What we do know is that we don't know
much about why we are fighting what appears to be endless wars. There are no exit strategies or definitions of good enough. Thus, Dabuya, Mac and other neo-con leaders advocate fighting as long as it takes, because they can put no end point on the violence. When the fighting was supposed to die down, after the invasion of Iraq, it got worse. Whether Iraq or Afghanistan, the US installed government controls relatively small parts of the country and cannot stand on its own. Without local leaders with credibility with the people, there is no realistic hope of extracting American troops, without replacement. America needs to find others who are willing to take the places of our troops and refocus our efforts on projects that can reasonably be expected to result in economic growth and prosperity. Otherwise, we can only anticipate ever greater expenses and sorrows from such ill-defined adventurism.

Learn more about this author, Robert C. Sage.
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