The only reason the Vietnam war turned out the way it did is because of the same factor as to why the current Iraq waris lagging. That reason is that the US Army has to fight a war with the media looking over their shoulder. War is bad and war is ugly, and war should be avoided at all costs, however it is a necessary evil.
As far as the strength of the US Armed forces, only China today could challenge them in a conventional war, if you are thinking otherwise, then you are living in a "Mooresque Dream"
