but the will must be projected to the battlefield. If we had enjoyed the advantage over Germany and Japan that we have over the Iraqi, the war would have been over in 6 months instead of 4 years.

I am not saying the implememtation of devastating and cruel force to win is right or even possible anymore but it is imo the only way to fight a war. With overwhelming advantage, a war can be won by inflicting pain that destroys the enemy's will to resist. It is good to be a minimalist but you must be willing to escalate against resistence. If this is not something you can stomach, don't start the war to begin with.

Failure to understand this will, as you predict, result in the war coming to us and perhaps finally forging and unifying our will.

When the war is over let the healing begin.