This third mention ignores the most salient point, that against the Barbary Pirates we declared war without naming a nation as the "enemy." Same situation here. We then pursued them wherever we found them. Same situation here.
As for the colonialism or "mandate" situation, the United States is not going back into that thicket. Some nations are too backward for institutions such as democracy and individual freedom, press freedom, etc., to survive, much less thrive.
But as long as whatever governments exist when this War is over, tremble in their boots, sandals, bare feet, whatever, over the thought of attacking the US, that will be sufficient for now.
See the second click link below for the FIRST discussion that appeared on the Internet "media" of the parallels between the Barbary Pirate War and the War on Terrorism.
Whazzup?
This is fundamental, and until we learn to not apply our system of government and mores of behavior to places not ready for it, we are doomed to failure. A prime example is South Africa, which is running rapidly down the path to internal implosion. The part of South Africa which could operate with the above freedoms was removed from power, and many were given the franchise who had no understanding whatsoever of the above concepts.
You can't hand a Republic to a mass of uneducated people and expect it to survive. Let's hope that isn't something that gets tried in the end game of The Terrorist War.