Interesting read. But in the end, simply history repeating itself.
The problem remains as it always has: cultures so different have no way, no language or codes for understanding one another in a positive way.
Of course the moment that the "good guys" leave, the old warriors return. The local population understands this, as it understands that foreign people who come to fight wars (as distinct to founding colonies) are not there for the longer term. It is happening with Islamic State - which when it didn't fight simply went to ground (they don't wear burned-in branding on their foreheads), and as in Korea, Vietnam, Kenya, Rhodesia, Cyprus, Iraq, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, they all look the same, and you don't have any way in hell of knowing what they are saying and who is who. Ditto the Sahel etc. etc. The non-combatants are not going to get their homes destroyed, their wives raped and children pulled apart for co-operating with the foreigners when they know that the foreign protection is essentially temporary. Russia found that out with Afghanistan as did the Brits decades earlier. The landscape and the culture makes it unavoidable.
But real defeat has often been dressed as victory; even old Corbyn tried it by claiming the other day that they might have lost the election, but that they won the argument. What bullshit, but I bet you many of his radical left believe that. Why would America, France or Britain speak any differently about their foreign affairs? Nobody can openly admit to being mistaken on such an immense scale.
A western, if even only nominally Christian-based mentality, can't accept the fact that other people of entirely different faiths believe that death in battle or by suicidal murder is a wonderful gateway to happiness beyond expectations. It's an idea so alien to us here that conventional weapons and fighting can't defeat it, so it has to be denied.
But whilst they, weapons, fail to resolve some fights, they sure employ a lot of people and spread the money around at home, winning votes. Just like spending zillions on space will achieve little for mankind, but employ a lot of highly paid people. Think how else that money could be spent: we might even be able to develop cheaper, safer fuels and save the planet from ourselves and our wilful blindness.
I have to live in hope, if only for my kids and their kids.
