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Why is it so hard for the U.S. to win wars?

U.S. presidents have promised short, decisive wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. All have proved much more difficult than advertised and fallen far short of the political goals set at the beginning.

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U.S. presidents have promised short, decisive wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. The U.S. has been at war for more than 20 of the past 25 years in three major conflicts all in the same region. U.S. presidents said overwhelming American miliary firepower would decide all these wars swiftly. Bush, the U.S. military needed just weeks to oust the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001 and President Saddam Hussein in Iraq in 2003. Under President Trump, the U.S. bombing campaign, assisted by Israel, killed many of Iran's leaders on the first day of the war and hammered the country at will. Why is the U.S. finding it so hard to win wars? "We generally do a pretty good job of the breaking things and killing people at the inception of the wars," said Peter Bergen. He's the author of a new book, All The Presidents' Wars, which looks at U.S. conflicts over the past quarter-century. Bergen, a national security analyst at CNN, said the U.S. keeps falling short when it comes to ending wars.

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Useful phrases from this story

have promised shortCollocation

ได้สัญญาสั้น.

From the storyU.S. presidents have promised short, decisive wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.

has been at war forCollocation

มีการต่อสู้เพื่อ.

From the storyThe U.S. has been at war for more than 20 of the past 25 years in three major conflicts all in the same region.

overwhelming American miliary firepower wouldCollocation

พลังปืนทหารอเมริกันที่ล้มเหลว.

From the storyU.S. presidents said overwhelming American miliary firepower would decide all these wars swiftly.

needed just weeks to oustCollocation

ต้องใช้เวลาแค่สัปดาห์ๆ เพื่อขับไล่.

From the storyBush, the U.S. military needed just weeks to oust the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001 and President Saddam Hussein in Iraq in 2003.

assisted by IsraelCollocation

มีการสนับสนุนจากอิสราเอล.

From the storyUnder President Trump, the U.S. bombing campaign, assisted by Israel, killed many of Iran's leaders on the first day of the war and hammered the country at will.

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