I'd be with you if not for the phrases "you assume the perpetual war is good". I can only think you are referring to Iraq and Afghanistan. If not for us retreating, like how Rand Paul and the left wanted us too, there wouldn't be an ISIS. And it is our cowardice and our abandonment of allies, not just in abandoning Iraq but also in cowing to Russian pressure and not helping the Ukrainians, that guarantees "perpetual war."
Evil countries, when they sense a power vacuum, are happy to fill it. Russia isn't invading people because we are such war mongers. Russia, and soon China and Iran and North Korea, do their horrible acts because we won't stand in their way.
I’m much more hawkish than you can imagine. The only way to defeat Isis is to kill every last one. The only time I would go to war is to completely destroy the enemy not to build nations, not to have soldiers killed and maimed to “police” an uncivilized people. I would have simply left them in such a state basic survival would have kept them busy for generations to come or stayed home.
“Perpetual war” I’m referring to the world. I’m referring to what seems like a constant push for conditions to start wars by all major players. I do not believe for a second that we, the US are evil or the major factor in this. I do believe we have missed many opportunities to stop what would escalate into bigger conflicts through action and inaction. I think if GW Bush and more importantly Europe had acted on Russia invading Georgia we wouldn’t have the Ukraine mess today. I believe GW should have understood the perils of a “free” Iraq. He should have understood that the next admin would likely be left and act as they did. It turns out there are still some really backward places that aren’t ready for “freedom,” that have to be “controlled” through force and/or threat of. I think many admins should have known and even still be aware that China will use our debt as a weapon or use it to buy weapons for conflict with us. War is expensive but the back breaking part is the “nation building” that follows. The world has never known a more humble, charitable hegemony than the US. That said Jimmy Carter and Barrack Obama may have potentially doomed that reputation with actions regarding Iran.