Dude, I spent 3 1/2 years there and travelled all over and can assure you our effort “directly protected the safety and freedom of the American homeland.”
Besides killing and helping Iraqis kill thousands of international jihadis (Syrians, Saudis, Sudanese, Yeminis, Albanians, Iranians, etc.) we, more importantly, held up American honor for the 9/11 attacks. To strike back when attacked is a very strong message in Islam.
Our efforts in Iraq will spare us innumerable attacks in the future and makes it clear to the world we sided with theh values of national self-determination and representative governance against Islamic terrorism -which is their antithesis. And we came to them and did it in their front yard. This will not be forgotten -except in the West.
Well done and well put!