The USA has not been to war since 1945.
That is a fact.
The Armed forces have been to war a number of times in the intervening years, large parts of them anyway and they're sure there now -- but the Pentagon has not been to war since 1945, either (and that shows...).
Lacking an existential threat -- and Islamic international terrorism is not such; very significant, yes but not existential -- we aren't going to war as a nation. That, rightly or wrongly, is I think also a fact.
Politicians do double speak more easily than they breathe, that too is a fact. We cannot and should not ignore them but ignoring what they say and watching what they do is probably advisable. Presidents or Congress critters -- makes no difference -- they will sell you down the river in a second. That, unfortunately goes with the territory in a democratic society -- even in a democratic constitutional representative republic. It is the price we pay for the freedoms we had and have.
That ought to be okay, no matter how much it annoys (this is my monthly understatement) those of us who get to go to war and toss a spear or two. That's why most of us signed up; regrettably, the downsides just go with the job. Can't speak for anyone else but after 45 years of it, I'd do it all again. :cool:
But we can still gripe about it -- and should; maybe someone will listen before it's too late. :mad: