We started with Afghanistan. IMHO, we should have then proceeded to Pakistan, and then if necessary, to Saudi Arabia.
Colonel David Hunt puts it this way (pg 34):
Al Qaeda had killed close to three thousand human beings. They had killed more than the Japanese killed at Pearl Harbor. The weapons used were simple box cutters and our own planes. All the walls were down; we were naked and vulnerable.
Now we would have to get serious. Now we had no choice. We would finally strike back; strike at them all; kill those that killed us; an eye for an eye - biblical justice. We would surely make all involved pay, which would of course include all those countries that supported the murderers. We would leave no stone unturned. There would be no place to hide. No more politics; just do the right thing.
Right? Wrong.
We did finally attack al Qaeda and its host, the Taliban, in Afghanistan. Some very brave CIA and Special Forces guys jumped in the middle of the night; got on horses; spread some money around; and took this country in less than three weeks. Perfect. Nice going!
Then there were speeches. "No place to hide." "We will hunt the terrorists down, wherever they are." We heard this over and over. Except it didn't happen.
We not only did not hunt down bin Laden, we allowed him to hide in Pakistan, the country right next door to the one we had just invaded.
So much for "Whupass" talk.