HOW DO MILITARY LEADERS persuade their soldiers to fight an insane war?

Here's one way. The setting is a bitter outpost of the American war in Afghanistan. The years-long nightmare has no prospect of ending so long as American troops stay in a country that has a nearly unblemished record of grinding foreign armies to ashes. A bullish general is trying to generate a dose of enthusiasm in the hearts and minds of his unenthusiastic men.

"You boys," the general says, "are the only things that count. If it doesn't happen here, it doesn't happen. End of story."

"What doesn't happen, sir?" a Marine asks.

"It, son," the general responds.

The Marine knows it would be unwise to demand a full explanation.