I remember retiring from the U.S. Army and relocating the family to South Florida. That was a long drive from Ft Hood, Texas, to Ft Lauderdale, Florida, especially with two young daughters and two yap yap Pomeranian dogs. I decided we would depart at "Zero-dark Early" so Aubrey and Austen would sleep, but when they awoke, the first words out of their mouths were, "Dad, are we there yet?"Heck, I believe those two yap yap dogs were yapping the same inquiry. Needless to say, we had not even hit the Florida border, going along Interstate 10.

This is a story that many parents and grandparents have experienced on a long drive with kids. But it also provides a very important lesson about how not to develop national security and foreign policy.

It has been some two weeks since America has prosecuted combat operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Just two weeks, and we have already had countless people asking, “Are we there yet?" That question may be cute, albeit aggravating, coming from kids sitting in the back seat, but it is absurd when it comes to engaging a dedicated enemy to our Nation.

Two weeks, as opposed to 47 years of aggression, attacks, and the murder of Americans by the number one state sponsor of Islamic terrorism in the world. Yes, I hear ya, Col., we do not want to be engaged in any more "endless wars.” The reason why we had extended combat engagements in the Middle East is that we prosecuted an operation based on occupying terrain and building institutions, instead of being enemy-oriented.

“Global War on Terror” sounds nice, but it is an ineffective and nebulous designation. Terror is a tactic, and a Nation cannot go to war against a tactic. We did not fight World War II to eliminate the blitzkrieg and kamikaze tactics. Wars, real wars, are fought against dangerous ideologies that threaten........

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