You seem not to understand the concept of "Tar-baby". It is based upon the story from the Uncle Remus Tales where Brer Fox sets a trap to capture Brer Rabbit. The fox's Tar-baby does not react to Brer Rabbit as expected and when Brer Rabbit finally gets frustrated enough to initiate physical force, he gets caught in the sticky substance of the Tar-Baby and is then at the mercy of the fox.
You always have a choice about engaging with a tar-baby. The trick is realizing what it is and not engaging. It is looking as though we might have chosen a better way to deal with this particular challenge. No matter how worthy the goal, if you don't have sufficient resources, resolve and support you should find another way to reach that goal.
I understand the concept, I just did not realize you were invoking it as literally as you did. There were only three components for me to draw my conclusions from "Iraq = Tar-baby", so I plead guilty.
I was using the more common reference, which is something that you become entangled, soiled or stuck to regardless of the circumstances, like reaching down and picking up a tar-ball off the beach, or getting gum stuck in your hair. So when I said you don't always get to pick your tar-baby, that is what I meant.
I guess we have a semantical difference, in the literal version, choice is key as you stated, in the common usage, you may have a choice(picking up a tar-ball on a beach) or may not have a choice (chewing gum thrown from a car lands in your hair...:)
I agree conditionally with your last statement, which was well worded, "No matter how worthy the goal, if you don't have sufficient resources, resolve and support you should find another way to reach that goal."
I agree that resolve and support are keys to success, and it remains to be seen if our country will muster those qualities. But I disagree that resources are a key. I believe that one often must make a choice regardless of available resources. You can always change your goal, but if you are in a situation where you can't do that, you do what you can with what you have got. Being a Marine (thank you for your service) you understand that better than nearly anyone else on this board, I would guess.