While you’re right about Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s unfair to single out W. We haven’t declared war on anyone since 1941. I believe we fought a couple of major wars between the end of WWII and the invasion of Afghanistan, so it isn’t just Bush.
Unlike Truman and LBJ, Bush at least, as required by the War Powers Act, got approval from Congress for his wars. I know we now are critical of these wars, but some realpolitik foreign policy thinking may be in order. There is a fairly major regionally hegemonic power in the Middle East. That power is governed by a theocratic radical Islamist government. That power has sponsored terrorist attacks against the US and it’s allies. That power has aspired to build nuclear weapons for some time. That power is, of course, Iran.
When Bush was POTUS, and more importantly, when there were large numbers of US troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, Irannwas relatively quiet and well-behaved. After removing those troops, Obama felt it necessary to send a pallet full of cash and allow Iran to resume development of nuclear technology as an appeasement strategy. I’m not saying this was necessarily Bush’s intent, but take a look at a globe some time. Having large numbers of enemy troops surrounding a rogue country can certainly make that country behave a bit better.
> it’s unfair to single out W <
Yes, you’re right. As you noted, since 1941 America has been involved in quite a few undeclared wars. (I mentioned W because I have such contempt for him for his huge Iraq blunder.)
Anyway, someone once said that “A democracy should go to war reluctantly, and fiercely.”
Since 1945 we’ve been doing the opposite. Since then, America has been going to war almost casually. And those wars have then been fought half-heartedly.