We are at war! We are at war! :( .... well, war is NOT the answer

So we've spent the last decade screaming to the world that WE ARE AT WAR!, that we're a War Nation, that we're led by a War President.  That we are "at war" -- not just in Iraq and Afghanistan, but generally against Islamic extremists -- is an absolute bipartisan orthodoxy that must be affirmed by all Serious people.  And we are currently waging some form of actual war in no fewer than five predominantly Muslim countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen and Somalia); are threatening Iran with "crippling" sanctions and -- from our more deranged quarters -- war

Glenn Greenwald, as always, is sharp in his commentary, with a laser-like focus, and has a powerful way with words. He then writes:

It's truly astounding to watch us -- for a full decade -- send fighter jets and drones and bombs and invading forces and teams of torturers and kidnappers to that part of the world, or, as we were doing long before 9/11, to overthrow their governments, prop up their dictators, occupy what they perceive as holy land with our foreign troops, and arm Israel to the teeth, and then act surprised and confused when some of them want to attack us.  In general, the U.S. only attacks countries with no capabilities to attack us back in the "homeland" -- at least not with conventional forces.  As a result, we have come to believe that any forms of violence we perpetrate on them over there is justifiable and natural, but the Laws of Humanity are instantly breached in the most egregious ways whenever they bring violence back to the U.S., aimed at Americans.  It's just impossible to listen to discussions grounded in this warped mentality without being astounded at how irrational it is.  What do Americans think is going to happen if we continue to engage in this conduct, in this always-widening "war"?

It is absolutely disheartening that for us here in the US, the first decade of the 21st century was all about war.  And it does not look like it will end soon either.  We are becoming a phenomenally huge version of Israel, which views its need for security and war as existential.  But, it is not--our daily lives are not subject to security threats that Israel faces every single day.  Israel fought wars with countries--yes, in plural--that were/are its neighbors.  Oh well .... I do not mean to imply that everything that Israel does is justifiable.  Not at all.  But, at least there is a reason for that madness.  Other than toppling the Taliban regime, and apprehending bin Laden and Zawahiri, well, we had no reason to do anything else.

Greenwald ends his updates with this:

Just contemplate how many Balawis [the suicide bomber who killed seven CIA officers] there are in the world:  Muslims who begin with sympathy towards the U.S. and hostility towards Al Qaeda who are completely transformed into the opposite as a result of the constant civilian death we and Israel bring (regardless of intent) to that part of the world.