America at War

As we approach the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks we are inundated with "news" reports reflecting on the past decade and how much are American society has changed as a result of that fateful morning.  One element of our changed environment that often receives attention is the notion that America has been at war for the last ten years - whether in some undefined "war on terror" or engaged in actual combat on the ground in the Middle East.  Indeed American troops have been engaged in Afghanistan for nearly the entire 10 year period, representing the longest declared military engagement in United States history.  Experts and others of course continue to debate the prognoses regarding the ultimate outcome of this conflict, as to whether victory is even attainable and what might be the most effective strategy for achieving that goal.  No doubt one of the political forces that has compelled continued presence in both Afghanistan and Iraq is the reluctance or even refusal to consider, much less admit, the possibility of defeat - America does not lose wars, so goes the general sentiment (with a caveat regarding what the outcome was in Vietnam).
And I believe there is a large measure of truth to the notion that America does not lose wars - but that statement only has meaning if we have consensus regarding what exactly constitutes a war, as opposed to other forms of conflict, and if that terminology is then consistently applied.
As someone who came of age during the 1980s I cannot say that I experienced America during a time of war, and I believe that to still be the case, notwithstanding the fact that our country does have troops deployed around the globe, and quite often these soldiers are engaging enemy combatants on a daily basis - so how can I say that America is not currently at war?
The simple answer is that I don't see the impact on our daily lives on the homefront.  Look at the following measures and compare them to previous generations of Americans' experiences during wartime:

1. Conscription - whether or not a volunteer army is more effective in combat than those who have been drafted for military service is clearly a point to be made.  But there is little doubt that the impact of subjecting the broad American public to the reality of selective service, and the implications of that service, brings the reality of war to the doorstep of nearly every American family.  Today's military hardly represents a cross section of American society.
2. Financial Sacrifice - what have American families been asked to sacrifice - in terms of their day to day needs, or even luxury items, to support the war effort?  Do we see rationing or scarcity of any specific goods that can demonstrate on a practical level the toll that war is taking on our country?
3. Personal investment - Have our citizens even been asked to contribute financially (other than continued federal spending) to the success of the war effort? In an era where most of our debt financing comes from abroad, do we not even consider asking our own citizens to loan the dollars necessary for insuring our security?

Of course, one could argue that one must distinguish between "total war" which in truth demands such an enormous level of sacrifice and commitment, as opposed to something more akin to "limited war" which might define our current level of engagement - but therein of course lies the rub and demands accurate historical assessment.

Can America realistically expect a successful outcome to a conflict against an enemy willing to commit its human and material resources for its cause if we are not positioned to do the same.  In other words, if we are not willing to engage in "total war" then shouldn't we be asking if its worth fighting for?  And if it is worth fighting for, then shouldn't we all share in the risk and sacrifice necessary to secure victory?

The lesson from history is clear that America does achieve victory in war when the country as a whole stands behind the cause - and commits its resources and general will to success.