The document discusses intellectual honesty and strategic failures in the US military leadership regarding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It notes that Generals McChrystal and Petraeus did not oppose the 2009-2012 surge in Afghanistan that led to high US casualties with no strategic advantage. A journalist described McChrystal as clueless about why the US was fighting in Helmand but launched an offensive there anyway. While 90% of US casualties were caused by Pakistani proxies, US commanders blamed Al-Qaeda and non-state Taliban groups instead of acknowledging Pakistani involvement. The document argues the surge was a failure with troops distributed without clear objectives. It praises General Dunford for his rare intellectual honesty in acknowledging Assad had strategic advantages in Syria