I, too would be thinking twice about joining the military, especially combat units. The party that gave us the debacle in Vietnam (Democrats) is now running the show in Afghanistan, complete with all the ridiculous rules of engagement that lead to the disaster Vietnam. Right now you'd be joining just to be cannon-fodder and targets.

well, I wouldn't want to join even if you were running a "winning" strategy. Why fight and risk death for someone else's cause? And that's all this is. Don't fool yourself into thinking that this is making America safer. Next time someone invades the US, then and only then people should think of enlisting. Otherwise you are just giving your life for some asshole's hobby.

What a crock. Perma-war kills many more than stopping a war does. What led to the disaster in Vietnam was waging a war that we had no purpose waging.

We had a shot in Afghanistan but George W. Bush was obsessed with Iraq. A war with only half an investment is lost from the beginning.

TruetCollins:

Next time someone invades the US, then and only then people should think of enlisting. Otherwise you are just giving your life for some asshole's hobby.

Were we invaded in WWI? WWII? Or do you think we were wrong to "interfere" in those wars as well?

good question.

WW1? Definitely a mistake

WW2? Well, that's part of the sacred narrative of the US, of course, but I often wonder what would have happened if the US had fought strictly a naval war with Germany, kept England well-supplied, and left Europe to its fate. It would have been Germany v Soviet to the death.

..Repubs and Dems alike are to blame for BOTH wars. And "rules of engagement" don't have much to do with winning or losing either, either.