My “8 month” comment was specifically about Raqqa, in Syria, because I don't think the USA should be doing anything in Syria, except target ISIS and Al Qaeda leadership with drones and carrier aircraft.
I think Trump's cruise missile attack on Assad was bizarre.
Virtually all the public evidence for Assad's alleged chemical attacks can be sourced to anti-Assad organizations.
I agree with all your sentiments about recent USA involvement in the Middle East.
However, I did support the USA involvement by G.H.W. Bush in 1990 after Saddam invaded Kuwait.
I am also a life long Friend of Israel, and I would have no problem with the USA killing Palestinian leaders and destroying Hezbollah's 40,000 missiles in Lebanon.
No problem, zee.
Regarding doing nothing in Syria, etc. I don’t think Trump can go back in time and make that happen. He basically has to play the hand he inherited from his predecessors.
But, moving forward, doing nothing seems usually to be the winning idea.