Without question, the primary purpose of any national government is to protect its citizens. Accordingly, preventing attacks is far better than reacting. Paradoxically though, while prevention is the preferred strategy, it does not tend to heighten the popularity of the leaders who pursue it.

Consider this: In 1998, if President Clinton had gone before Congress for authorization of force to topple a fascist regime in Afghanistan called “the Taliban” because they were supporting a bunch of bad guys called al Qaeda, and because doing so would prevent something that might happen after he left office, what would Congress have done?