That is the guidance from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs in what will likely be his last message to the troops and commanders serving under him.

 As Marcus Weisgerber writes at Defense One, General Martin Dempsey is warning that:

The U.S. military needs to reorganize itself and prepare for war that has no end in sight with militant groups like the Islamic State and nations that use proxies to fight on their behalf …

Dempsey writes that:

“We are more likely to face prolonged campaigns than conflicts that are resolved quickly… that control of escalation is becoming more difficult and more important… and that as a hedge against unpredictability with reduced resources, we may have to adjust our global posture,” 

Fewer resources, longer campaigns.  Not a blueprint, one thinks, for victory or, even, long term security.