We cannot win a PC war, and you cannot win a war where your enemies are allowed safe harbour. But, more to the point, we cannot fight a faceless enemy; it is hard to prove intent until after the man has acted.
I have to respectfully disagree to a point... we are installing democratic institutions and frameworks in both Afghanistan and Iraq; these actions don't make the headline news, but it gives those peoples the chance to live in free societies instead of fear societies and eventually let them be in control of their own destiny.
Which is almost 180 degrees different than the mistake that "we" made in the Palestinian elections: the people had no semblance of any freedom with the PA controlling every facet of their existence, so of course the vote for Hamas was anything but free. It was a vote based on fear, and their fear was that they wanted anything but what their choice was before, Fatah.
"We cannot win a PC war", AMEN brother! LBJ tried that in Vietnam and men died for no good reason.