[JohnBooty]

    something is rotten in the US. 

There certainly are multiple things rotten in the US, but a glance at history shows us that this sort of challenge has always been nearly impossible.

Specifically, I'm talking about the challenges faced by a wealthy, technologically superior nation-state seeking to subdue a remote, decentralized coalition of irregular military forces whose fighters can blend in with the general populace when needed.

The birth of the USA was something somewhat similar, with the colonies' "ragtag" army defeating the British.

It's also something the Roman Empire struggled with. They conquered city-states with relative ease, rolling them into their empire with a combination of carrot and stick. Decentralized peoples were often another story.

It's also not like there's a shortage of writings about how Afghanistan is essentially unconquerable, thanks to geography and culture. "Graveyard of empires," indeed.

https://thediplomat.com/2017/06/why-is-afghanistan-the-grave...