My reaction to this is that Lew could have written the same column about World War II. Perhaps he would have, too. But most of those who fought in that war felt that, in spite of everything, it was worthwhile. Perhaps the martial spirit will again make problems for us someday, as it has in the past. But if we aren't willing to defend ourselves we are through as a nation. History has seen the ruins of successful, wealthy, refined trading communities that were incapable of defending themselves. I wouldn't want the US to be among them.
Those in favor of war are sometimes too quick to make charges of treason or cowardice against those who oppose their policies. If we're looking for an equivalent behavior to this in pacifist circles, it would be calling those who disagree with them murderers. There are two ways of "waving the bloody shirt." Rockwell would gain credibility condemning the one sort, if he didn't indulge in the other.
But the US Government is not defending us. If anything they are making future attacks more likely (does anyone remember Lockerbie?)
Now they have even admitted that the capture of bin Laden and his cronies is not that likely. Hang on, wasn't that a key feature of the war sales pitch? So far the US military have relentlessly bombarded a wretchedly poor country (hey! don't like the Nazis? bomb the Warsaw Ghetto!) and have yet to liquidate or capture a single terrorist.