Exactly, that's how we won. Today, there are different enemies, and different wars (asymmetrical), and different regions of theater. "Fighting [alQaeda, Islamofascists] there so we don't have to fight them here" is exactly about that.
If he intends to ring out our role as the world's lone supercop
We are not there entirely alone, nor are we playing "supercop" there. Same people who want us to leave Iraq (and Iran), where we fight real enemies who are there to defeat us because of who we are, want us to be "supercop" in Darfur and other places where we don't [yet] have an enemy. Same as in Kosovo where we didn't have national interests, nor NATO allies' interests' have been attacked, yet we played "supercop" there.
Destroying one enemy in Iraq (Saddam) and staying there to attract and kill and capture the resources of a bigger and more elusive ones (al-Qaeda, Iran) while simultaneously building and protecting the foundations of allied governments in the region is not playing "supercop", it's essential for our very survival. Our problems with Iraq are not in Iraq, they are in Iran and Washington (and, by extension, their allies in New York and Hollywood).
If your goal is to fight Islamofacists as you call it you have to realize that the very essence of Islam is Dhimittude and Sharia, making all others submit to your will. If you disagree with them you are an infidel and you are fit only to be killed or subjugated into Dhimmitude.
The fact is that we are trying to create a society that has to find people willing to risk their lives for the dignity and pride of others. In this case in Iraq you have to find Sunnis for shiites/kurds or what have you. It’s difficult but I honestly don’t think their culture can support it without us physically being there. Our failure to create a secular republic like the one in Turkey was one of the biggest cracks in foundation.
If you want to stop sharia and dhimmification then call it a crusade, then destroy the Shiite stronghold of Sadr and Tehran. Then you must destroy the Wahhabist entity of Riyahd. To finally prove once and for all the folly of worshipping false gods.
This hearts and minds makes them believe they are dominant, we can’t win wars like this.
We must make them submit. Failure to do so only invites more death.