I part with the writer on level of involvement. We have to be the wind under freedom's sails. They can't do it alone. Freedom has it's own language. Ideas birth reality. The totalitarian forces, and established power paths will prevent the people from creating the structures of freedom. Mullahs can reestablish power in short order without some countervailing system. If the good people in these countries had to do the process totally alone, it would take 50 years. And in that time our country would be hit so many times it would be unbearable. We have a role...
And our war strategy must be never to attempt to occupy a conquered country, because there will be no conquered countries. Victory, for us, is not conquest. Victory is to strike down the monsters and then go away and let the Muslim world find its own road to freedom.
I see what you're saying. But that level of involvement might only distract Arabs from the real issues. It's easy for people who are fighting, but don't want to fight, to start picking on any and all bystanders. By distracting the Middle East, we end up prolonging the situation and bringing more violence to our doors. Yet, like you pointed out, we can't just waltz in, shoot up the bad guys, and expect things to magically get better.
It's a delicate situation, especially considering your very valid points.