My answer to Iraq would have been the same as Reagans answer to the communist world. Unlike dummy George W with his stupid losing war, Reagan didnt invade the Soviet Union, but he still beat them and won the Cold War
Really? We tried that for a decade under Bush 41, Clintoon, and the UN. Not a rousing success, obviously.
After 9/11 all bets were off and if I had to wager a guess, I don’t think that the gipper would have agreed with your analysis. Superpower with nukes=containment. Little tin-pot dictator=glass parking lot.