I don’t think it’s realistic to believe that a “war” against Islam could have been waged for more than one presidential administration.
The American electorate and the MSM have moved increasingly to the Left, and the GOP, especially after Bush, has grown politically wary of foreign military engagements.
I also disagree with your preferred response to Afghanistan.
A message had to be sent to the world that any national government that overtly helps terrorists attack the USA is going to be destroyed.
I would have committed enormous resources to destroy the Afghan military to hunt down and kill every Taliban leader.
Government bureaucrats and generals care about their lives and their standard of living a lot more than messianic terrorist leaders like bin Laden.
Correct. A war against Islam would not last more than one administration. At least not likely.
Enormous resources to accomplish what? To leave just like every other invader has ever left Afghanistan - in defeat?
Terrorism is a distraction. It is a gnat on an elephant. It serves to make the elephant stomp around and get excited and pay no attention to the real issue which is the religious / political system known as Islam. It allows ‘moderate’ Islam to posture as such when in fact all Muslims (ALL) believe the world must completely be under Sharia law.
The twin towers were blown up. This sounds harsh, but so what. In comparison to what happens daily around the world because of Islam that was nothing.
If you want to send a message to governments about supporting ‘terrorists’ - do it directly and preferably covertly. Do not do it in a way that gets thousands of young Americans killed and that costs trillions of dollars and is guaranteed to fail.
I agree with your last paragraph. Bureaucrats can be influenced. Hence my policy. But your last paragraph conflicts with your second to last. As far as killing Taliban - it is mostly a waste of time. There are literally hundreds of millions of Muslim men willing to take their places.
We have been able to slow down the Taliban. But there are far more efficient means of doing so than another failed land war in Asia.