The TDS is Extreme with this one

Tell that to the actual soldiers on the ground that have died. Videos of their encounters show that war is still extremely physical, moving through dense obstacle filled environments or large open fields while wearing thick outfits and carrying equipment. This is so obvious that I can’t understand how anyone would think physical fitness doesn’t matter, let alone rant incoherently about it.

Weirdly the author seems to acknowledge this despite the title:

> Combatants also have to be physically fit enough to endure incredible hardship.

But they discount the importance of having a culture that is appropriate for the job throughout the organization not just for combatants. Sure a programmer doesn’t need to be running a fast mile or whatever, but culture still matters and a soft one doesn’t seem appropriate for the military.

As for Russia’s failures - I don’t see why those would carry over to America. The author suggests their image of a masculine aggressive force hasn’t worked in Ukraine. I would say it isn’t enough on its own - you still need industrial strength and technology and all that. But dismissing the importance of a “warrior culture” on this one example feels like a leap.