Julian Assange explains Afghanistan in 2011:
The goal is to use Afghanistan to wash money out of the tax bases of the US and Europe through Afghanistan and back into the hands of a transnational security elite. The goal is an endless war.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_IGU_7alJ80/
The difference this time is that war can easily slip into Armageddon despite the establishment of deconfliction. The president said as much. However, the hustlers here are gamblers.
Additionally what is peculiar about this client state is that it has access to the innards of both Dems and Repugs. Thus it can play one against the other. The US appeared trapped: the client state might draw it into a final war, not of its choice. The missile into Poland and Zelensky's response amplify the General's concern about escalation. He wants to wind this thing down.