Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh, a conservative Republican and tea party favorite, said he is not even sure that the war in Afghanistan is helping American efforts in the broader war on global terror.

“I come from a swing district,” Walsh said, “a lot of blue-collar folks, and these are the most patriotic Americans in the world, and they’re wondering what we’re doing. There is a shift.”

The new concern over Afghanistan is part of a growing war fatigue among a generation of Republicans that has for the past decade been largely in lock step over America’s foreign wars. Long advocates of militarism and “peace through strength,” more GOP lawmakers are now starting to go public with their concerns about what seems to be an endless, expensive war.

“We always say we need to stay to win and achieve victory,” a GOP lawmaker said. “We’re not totally sure what we mean by victory.”