@StephanieMoore That's a good point. This was more about understanding a piece of the CHARACTER of war, rather than its definition, but you're spot on. We spent two decades primarily engaged in helping liberated peoples rebuild their fractured societies, in Afghanistan & Iraq, but part of why the American people lost interest and withdrew us was the media focus on the COMBAT OPERATIONS that were far more the exception than the rule, to the exclusion of what was (or was not) actually reconstructing an indigenous, sustainable society.
In Iraq, democracy still stands, even WITHOUT our continued investment, because of the success of all that institution building (and the commitment of the Iraqi people). Even the war against ISIS was largely won because MY war--the #counternarrative fight debunking the #Khawarij strategic vision in traditionalist Islamic terms--with necessarily military force in a SUPPORTING role had built on those Iraqi institutions & determination TO OUT-COMPETE the #Daeshbags for the hearts & minds of the people.
It's complex--but most things in the real world outside the lab are. Defeating #fascism here at home will be as well.