A depressing pattern

• With idealism and fanfare, we commit troops to some distant battlefield. We are defending our freedom.
• The task at hand is more difficult than imagined.
• In response, we add troops to the mix.
• We give optimistic reports that we are making progress.
• Yet body counts rise.
• Secret documents are leaked suggesting the situation has been much worse than reported all along.
• Etc, etc, etc.