AmericanPride; I sort of agree with your post at #5 above with one caveat:
"I think it's dangerous intellectually to talk about the nature of war, or the outcome of any war, without first discussing its relationship to politics."
I think it is dangerous practically to try to over define the nature of war as it's an academic exercise with no practical merit. The causes of war are too diverse and the methods of warfare are even more varied. In the immortal words of Donald Rumsfeld, "You go to war with the Army you've got." Just so. I'd add that Army had better be prepared and able to fight that war it got into. It's that simple.

wm's wisdom comes through:
"Ken, it provides the economy with a lot of jobs for people who work in organizations that garner "lessons observed." Too bad we have yet to figure out a way to convert lessons observed effectivelt and efficiently into lesson learned. (No offense to folks like Tom Odom intended)."
Yep to the first clause and egos are the answer to the second... Sad.

Wilf contributes an absolute gem and one of my pet questions:
"My guess is that a lot of folks are very reluctant to discuss why an ACR squadron, for example, cannot perform certain missions they are supposed to."
To which I'm sure he'd add that one could change the ACR (my personal favorite) to several other types of units. That is, IMO, considerably more pertinent a question than is what kind of war are we in...

Which gets to AmericanPride, post 19:
"Understanding why the enemy fights clarifies how (and to what extent) he fights. So, as for the article, categorizing a war by how it was, or should be, fought is not very useful whatsoever without the "why"..."
I think that understanding why he fights may -- just may -- give you a clue to to why he fights (though I'm unsure how important that it is). The key being truly understanding as opposed to just thinking one understands (and I suggest the last seven years are living proof of that... ). I'm quite sure it does not give you a clue to what extent he will fight because you have a say in that which can change his predilection.
"...Why is the "psycho-cultural war" concept useful if the conditions in which its applicable are not universal?"
It isn't...