You seem to have a rather confused view to the big picture. Why do need to give a "rat's ass" about what the Islamic world thinks? It is called diplomacy. While Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, Lebanon and Syria may be a write off, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Jordan may not. Jordan has usually been the voice of moderation in the past.   I can only assume that winning the hearts and minds of the indiginous people would be one of the objectives. It would seem to me that is why the U S entered the region in the first place.Otherwise eveything done to date will collapse, and I am having some difficulty in seeing whether there will ever be anything accomplished.

Why should we need to depend on the UN? Do you really think that the US has the unlimited resources to maintain a miltary presence for an unduly long period of time? The current cost of both Iraq and Afghanistan is already overbudget. Do you really want to expand the war and continue to have us go it alone? You indicate  "we should rely on ourselves, that's why we are in this mess to begin with."  I don't understand your logic.

There is also the matter of legitimacy of collective security. Why do you think Bush went to the U N and Nato before invading Iraq?When they refused to support him, he had to turn to the comic opera countries of the third world to gain the legitimacy that he needed to begin the war. It was almost embarrassing. When was the last time that countries like Honduras went to war?

With respect to your observation about our enhanced technology since WW11, why is it not working? The upgraded technology, robot drone planes, air fuel bombs, etc. are not cutting it.We are already engaged in Afghanistan for almost as long if not longer than the time we were engaged in WW11.

It is very easy to pass the blame to the "liberals". I personally am neither a liberal nor a conservative. Placing labels on one's self limits your ability to think pragmatically and to adopt the best solution to a problem whether it be liberal or conservative. The last estimate of American dead in Iraq that I heard was more than 2,500. I fail to see how you can dismiss these people's lives so lightly. I would like to think that something was gained in return for these deaths. As of yet I have not seen it.

Where do you see the the American military fighting with one hand tied behind its back? As far as I can see they have pretty much free run of the place. You may have heard that several are being tried as war criminals for rape and murder. Where was their restraint. The problem is a failure of the local people to put aside their religious hatreds and to include the Kurds to fight foreign insurgents. How long does it take to train a native police force and military to fight this war. Testimony by the military before Congress earlier this year was at best disappointing.

In so far as your Bosnian analogy is concerned, I know someone who lived through the ethnic cleansing. He and his family were Muslim, and barely escaped with their lives. They are currently applying for American citizenship, and are productive resident Aliens pending receipt of citizenship. While Clinton sent troops to Bosnia more that 10 years ago, we were not there alone. It was part of a UN peace keeping mission. Once leaders such a Melosivic were captured for trial for violation of human rights the war seemed to wind down. I would have to guess the troops are there to maintain order during the rebuilding process.

It is a shame what happened to that region. I was ther in the 70's when it was still Yugoslavia and Tito was still in power. Although it aligned itself with the Soviet Bloc, you would never have known it was a "communist" regime. They had a thriving tourist trade along the Dalmation Coast (the poor man's Riviera), they gladly accepted American credit cards and the had a casino in Dubrovic for foreign tourists only. However, I do not think it is a fair analogy for what is transpiring in the Middle East.