They give in, or we do?

Can we win in the Middle East or not?  That is the Big Question.  It depends a lot on what the definition of Win is.  Options are few and I haven't seen any good definitions of Win.

There is no easy answer.  Killing them in the numbers required to eliminate them requires large numbers of combatants which means large numbers of your forces get killed also.  Bombing requires reliable target information; which requires large numbers of spotters on the ground.  Training up locals to fight and to point out targets takes time and money and the results we have seen are uncertain.  We use the same conventional solutions that we have been using in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the present conflicts.  The Powell solution of using overwhelming force against a static enemy position.  So far the guerrillas have been using tactics that have struck fear and confusion in their enemy's ranks. The person or persons behind their strategy shows pure genius and a lot of imagination.  So far our military and civilian leadership has shown a lack of genius and imagination. 

The problem is we have no goals.  The conditions are too chaotic and any mistakes made could lead to a hellacious conflict in the region with Russia, Iran, and China interjecting themselves into the picture.  The West could possibly lose Saudi Arabia, Jordon, Egypt, and Israel in a regional war.

On top of all this is that our own government is so divided ideologically, culturally, we cannot make sensible decisions.  We are spending money unwisely in all areas that government has its fingers in, while our infrastructure and other needed projects lie dormant. 

With all this happening who do you think would back down?