I do not understand why the armed forces have to swing from one extreme to the next.
Design everything for massive land battles in Europe.
Design everything for terrorist/insurgent battles.
Design everything for battling China on islands.
The enemy gets a vote as many have said. Kinda complicates decisions about who the enemy will be at some time in the future.
And US taxpayers vote for people who don't know or have the Armed Services in our best interests going back to President Wilson before WWI. And then make choices that don't defend America.
p.s. Senator Tom Cotton, R-AR wrote Only the Strong which explains these issues.