What Is So New?

Nation troops lack discipline, slow to meet enrollment goals and when they enroll, quick to desert.

Local authorities slow or unwilling to recruit troops necessary for their defense.

Ethnic cleansing campaigns conducted by locals with local officials looking the other way and in some cases hindering the foreign troops from interceding.

Other local authorities declining to raise men for the military noting that there is no need given overtures of peace being made by some on the other side.

Foreign officers complaining about lack of discipline amongst local troops, and that they run to quickly from a fight.

With mounting debt the foreign nation expends a significant portion of their wealth on military expenditures and in keeping their military in the field.

Foreign troops sacrificing themselves but wondering why local governments and troops are not doing the same to protect their own people.

The hot war was simpler than the victorious aftermath. The ongoing fighting and political folly has become a greater quagmire than the hot war.

Locals claim they want help, but then do not what to help themselves.

Foreign leadership seeking ways to have the other country pay its own bills.

Local government wanting to take control but the other nation questions the commitment and viability of self-rule.

Rampant factionalism with no unified vision or sense of nationhood uniting various provincial governments into one central body.

The foreign country pouring large sums into building public works and infrastructure, but while local authorities argue over the needs or whether they should contribute to the paying of the same.

Large cultural divide between the country and the foreign country.

Homeland politicians crying out that it is long overdue to bring troops home and to end putting money into an endless pit with little home of return.

Local authorities wondering how much say they really have in running their own country.

People questioning whether the other country is really governable and worth the fuse, particularly when the citizens of the other country do not appreciate what they have been doing for their benefit.

For several years we have heard the above over and over again, so why recount the familiar and the recent. History is repeating itself. As today the Americans are speak of Iraq and Afghanistan the British were speaking of the Americans between 1755 and 1770. As Americans then came to detest the British crown and Parliament so too are the Iraqis and Afghans today. By the way, other similarities would make the list is much longer.

It is ironic that America has forgotten its own history and in many ways has been doing to Iraq and Afghanistan what they complained about the British doing.