>The result... Bin Laden and buddies remain at large

Come one. They haven't gotten the big cheese, but the infrastructure of the organziation has been devasted. Look at this list.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alleged_Al-Qaida_members

> AND Afghanistan is teetering between democratic rule and fiefdoms run by war lords.

Germany and Japan didn't become liberal democracies overnight, it has taken decades and they are still occupied by US forces.

>There weren't "lies" but there certainly were unstated facts that might have influenced world opinion had they been known at the time.

I disagree. Sure it hasn't been as quick or as easy as thought.