Guys living in caves would respect our power? Compared to them we were infinitely more powerful. Could you please back up your speculation with facts on how al qaeda would have left us alone if we were “more powerful”. The fact that they could terrorize the most powerful nation in the world was their great talking point.
You are asking for facts about a future hypothetical — it makes no sense. The guys in caves is silly. Are you talking about Osama Bin Laden, the billionaire family fellow as a “guy in a cave.” Sloppy thinking.