this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2024
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To be honest, we "lost" those wars because of our intolerance for splash damage. We often knew where the insurgents were, but to take them out would mean killing a lot of civilians. We had to wait until they were in a place where the collateral damage was minimal, even if it meant they got away. Israel and Russia don't seem to have this problem, but look at where it's landed them on the stage of world opinion.
People that believe in a "surgical" war are why we lose. We would have prevailed in an all out conflict where civilian casualties are acceptable. We have the firepower. But that might be viewed as genocide, which is unacceptable.
This is why the US is involved in so many conflicts. War is supposed to be terrible, and therefore avoided by all sides. When rules are in play, the weaker side believes they can win by hiding among civilians. This is the insurgents' playbook - let the other side play by the rules, and when they don't, scream foul. Never mind that combatants hiding among civilians is also against the rules.
When you fight an insurgency with cruel force, especially with disregard for civilian casualties, all you do is further the circumstances that led to the insurgency in the first place. These groups are recruiting for a fight against a foreign army. If said army just brutally killed your innocent brothers and sisters, you are a hell of a lot more likely to get radicalized and join. It's certainly no recipe for post-conflict stability.
This is what is so absurd about Israel's war right now, and it was absurd about the US' war too. And I disagree that the US would've "won" if it was "ok with more splash damage".
What is your solution then? How do you deal with an opposing force that uses human shields?
Expose it, mock it, surgical strike which definitely can be possible. And sometimes, when the opposing force isn't a threat to anyone but the human shields, yet the human shields support the opposing force, then you can just maybe give them that autonomy sometimes.
Unfortunately there are few cases where the group in question isn't a threat. By your plan, the US should allow regions to secede if that is their wish. They won't be a threat except to their own residents, who have shown their support by electing the officials seeking secession.
Constitutionally probably not possible, but in principle I think anyone should be able to secede.
Pure grade copium right here.