John,

>>I guess the answer is we can't fight every war, and our leaders felt it better to try to kill those who are trying to kill us, rather than kill those who are trying to kill others.

That's fair enough. Many/most national policies are motivated at least partly by self-interest. For those who deny this, Zimbabwe would be an easy win- step in, remove the despot, re-establish agriculture and irrigation, there is already a detailed civil service so resurrect that, oversee proper elections under the control of the civil service with UN observers, and get out. All the infrastructure is there to make elections and self-government a realistic expectation. And nobody could claim an ulterior motive- there is no oil or any other possible motivation except removal of a despot who is risking millions of lives. For all those who are told daily of perpetual greed and self-interest in the "Great Satan"'s behavior, that will be something to think long and hard about.