We could have won that one if politicians had listened to their military advisors. In James Mattis's recent book, he talks about how the Obama administration didn't listen to recommendations for a larger military presence because they were scoring too many political points by constantly "bringing the troops home".
The military always says they would have won if they had more. I dont think that is the case at all in Afghanistan or Iraq, in Iraq we essentially invented an enemy and lost to them.
What would a winning scenario look like to you? There is no winning when it comes to conflicts like that - just mission objectives, most of which were completed.
Us not babysitting two countries with our annual budget and servicemen and women because we are afraid to leave. If you dont have an exit strategy you probably shouldnt go start a fight you cant finish (Im obviously generalizing a complex situation but 20 years at war is beyond ridiculous), Colossal waste of money after killing bin Laden, Iraq was a made up war. No idea what the exit strategy was there beyond Bush wanting to kill Saddam.