agreed, wars that last longer than a few months are never election winners unless there is some immediate direct threat the the US. The Afghanistan war is one thing, to get BinLaden, but Iraq should have bombed to the stone age or other limited action. Conservatives correctly chided Clinton for nation building in Haiti but this 6 year war is OK?
we need to spend political capital on US.
Liberals on SCOTUS have done more damage to this country by far than the Muslims.
When X amount of political capital exists, it can be spent at home or abroad. Republicans spent it on the Iraq War, pouring all the goodwill they once had out on the desert sands of Iraq.
It should have been spent at home: on social issues, privatization, border security, improving the economy, and such. If those things had been the focus, McCain would not have been the GOP nominee and Obama would not be President.