Military "leaders" (a description stretch) have adapted to the political views of Washington as to what the military role in the world is.
Example: Since WWII, the United States government has not allowed the military to win a war.
They claim victory in Desert Storm, but the engagement was never brought to a conclusion.
The whole mess in Afghanistan, and Iraq dragged on for decades, ended in the United States failing and in essence, being defeated.
Why? If no goals are ever set, then no goals can ever be met.
The United States military has been molded into the political enforcer when other countries refuse to comply with United States government demands.
Now, the American people are refusing United States government demands. The military has been being conditioned for the inevitable for 70+ years, and now, we are almost there.
Also, the United States government has been successfully "conditioning" the American people through division, and that will make the militarys' job easier.