Let's compare this to Pearl Harbor....
On Dec. 7, 1941, the US was hit by a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. Thousands were killed and the US fleet was crippled. The US immediately declared war on Japan.
But look at this...
27th February 1942, nearly 3 months after the attack at Pearl, The Battle of the Java Sea begins and continues for three days, during which the Allies, under the command of the Dutch Admiral, Karel Doorman lose five cruisers and six destroyers, while the Japanese lose just 4 transports.
11th March 1942, General MacArthur leaves Corregidor and the Philippines for Australia, after being ordered to assume command of the new South-West Pacific area, which in effect meant all Allied forces in the Pacific. MacArthur's last words before leaving were "I shall return!". General M. Wainwright takes over command in the Philippines. MacArthur is ordered out because the situation in the Philippines is hopeless.
14th March 1942, US troops arrive in Australia in force. Australia is a friendly country. It took over 3 months for the first large contingent of troops to arrive in Australia.
9th April 1942, US-Filipino forces on Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines surrender. 78,000 troops are captured, including 12,000 Americans, but 2,000 escape to Corregidor. This is the largest capitulation in US History. This is over 4 months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
18th April 1942, Colonel Doolittle leads 16 US Army B25 bombers from the carrier Hornet in first air raid on Tokyo and Japan. This is the US's first strike back at Japan. 16 bombers after more than 4 months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
4th May 1942, US carrier force engages part of Japanese invasion fleet in Battle of Coral Sea, the first naval battle fought entirely with aircraft. This is 5 months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
7th May 1942, General Wainwright surrenders Corregidor to the Japanese, along with 15,000 prisoners.
4th June 1942, US fleet engages Japanese in the decisive Battle of Midway. After three days the Japanese retreat with heavy losses. The first significant victory over the Japanese occured 6 months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Back to the war on terrorism. Afghanistan is completely landlocked. Pakistan has a sizeable protion of it's population that will support the Taliban. The "stan" republics on the North side are providing bases because of fear, not because they love us. Iran, is an enemy.
Afghanistan is almost exactly opposite the US on the globe. It is as far away from the US as a country can be. Yet within one month, we had regular bombing raids, troops on the ground and military successes against an enemy that uses caves and civilians to hide in and behind.
Oh yeah, this war is a dismal failure can be conclusively stated at three weeks into it's execution.....
Let me take issue with a little bit of your history. You might want to read "The Fleet the Gods Forgot" by Capt (Ret.) W.G. Winslow. He was an officer on the cruiser Houston (CA-30) in 1941-42, and was a survivor of her sinking in combat. The ABDA fleet, though thoroughly destroyed by the superior numbers of Japanese vessels, inflicted considerably more damage then they are usually credited with.