In Japan and Germany we committed the nation to the long haul and we had utterly destroyed the capacities of both before the occupation. The populations were quite demoralized and ready to do the will of the conqueror. We are still in Japan and Germany. We don’t do that any more. We go in, depose governments, re-order things and bug out and everything goes to hell. Korea and Grenada are exceptions in that we are still in Korea and Grenada was not interfered with beyond getting rid of the communists. Reagan wasn’t a “nation builder.”
When we stay it works.
Bush's plan was to allow a residual force to stay and act as a buffer against Iran and a rapid reaction force if anything went wrong in Afganistan. Obama blew that hugely and now we will suffer the consequences.
There is a vast difference in the policies of the 2 parties and those who want the Democrats to continue to control the committees in Congress will be contributing to the downfall of the country.