That's where I'm at. I could see Iraq, but only as a gateway to Afghanistan and a flanking position to Iran. (Not saying Saddam and his boys didn't need killing, just that that alone was a murky strategic justification for the operation--and no, I fully respect all the folks who went in and those who are still serving, they have done an excellent job of securing the objectives they have been given.)
Unfortunately, current political policy negates those strategic positions, and essentially fulfils the whole "quagmire" and "Another Vietnam" meme the Liberals have been pushing from day one. (The US Military won the war, the US Government snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, and it is happening again because the instability in the region is actively being promoted elsewhere to establish a Caliphate, or at least placing the arsenals of nations in the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood and affiliates like AlQaida, and our sudden withdrawal will likely leave a power vacumn which will be filled by the MB, AQ, and other affiliates of AQ).
Either we press for victory in the region or withdraw, there will be no 'steady state' of equilibrium without pouring unimaginable treasure and the cream of American soldiers into the breach.
Frankly, we're broke.
Our southern border is an unsecured superhighway into the heartland and even the coasts and urban regions, and policy--from waving mexican trucks across to gunrunning and money laundering for the Cartels to leaving the border unsecured--sucks.
Reading the writing on the wall, we have to secure the border or the same people who read Sun Tsu in Arabic will exploit the weakness, and may have done so already to preposition what they need to create unimaginable mayhem.
Again, Government policy is facillitating the next disaster.
No doubt, it will be blamed on the political opponents of the people in power in the US, currently the rich, Christians, firearm owners, and those who have pushed for securing the border and desire a govenrment which conforms with its Constitutional mandates and restrictions.
Similar in fashion to the way others have secured power in the last century, those who do the dirty work will be promised much and will also be the victims of the same power structure they think will benefit them once power is consolidated--and that covers a wide variety of 'useful idiots'.
Just my $0.02
Our country is broke because of Socialist Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and bloated federal pensions.
If you’ll note, none of the above is Constitutional.