For what its worth, I think it is inaccurate and unfair to accuse senior military leaders of lying about what is going on in Afghanistan.

I think much more accurately it is simply that their thinking is so narrowly canalized by a mix of military culture of not challenging policy; military doctrine that mischaracterizes the nature of this type of conflict; and the forces of inertia and duty that prompt us to never "quit" but rather to press onward to that light at the end of the tunnel. We delude ourselves of the realities around us when we get sucked into this process. It's human nature.

I will also note that this officer offers no keen insights of his own as to how we might do better. Kind of like telling a drowning man he isn't swimming properly. Thanks for that.