Since the lapse of the much derided "Vietnam syndrome," Americans have come to simultaneously expect cost-free intervention and absolute homeland security.
It's a charming vision. And in the early years after the Cold War it appeared to be a reality. For instance, Washington and its NATO allies bombed Serbia for 79 days in 1989 without incurring a single casualty.
But then came Sept. 11, 2001. Terrorists angered not by America's freedoms but by Washington's actions struck back in horrendous fashion.