I believe that you missed this (the actual point of the article): capable of starting a devastating war, but not, ultimately, of winning.

Sounds like the US! Or really any power today -- capable of inflicting great damage on a foreign power, but not capable of occupation and pacification.

no, i absolutely did not miss the point. nearly anybody worth studying militarily, whether a state or non-state actor, is capable of that. 12 guys with plane tickets started the last one. tell the millions of dead people that war wasn't devastating.