[ClearCase_guy]

Yup.

I really hate nation building. Our military should be used to break things and to kill people. Make the other nation weaker, and very reluctant to tussle with us ever again. Then leave.

That's victory. That's how wars are won.

[BitWielder1]

Let the defeated nations rebuild themselves.
That way they may have a better appreciation for what they have and more reluctance to lose it again.

[Andrei Bulba]

The flaw in this three weeks plan is that it leaves the Ayotollahs in charge (unless Iranians rise up from within). This is not a nation building plan, it’s a plan to reduce Iran’s military so they stop making trouble.

We did not win in Germany and Japan by defeating them and leaving. We wrote the Japanese constitution. I believe political subjugation has been the more common historical model.

[FreeAtlanta]

I agree. Especially when dealing with backward Islamist. The only place we should occupy is their oil fields, pipelines and seaways to get the oil out.

If they have other valuable mineral deposits, then we should mine it and extract it. Leave them with nothing that can help them to fight and kill us later.

If they have nothing, then just bomb and kill their leaders, then leave. Repeat as necessary.