re: #122 The Shadow Do

complete victory in war is pretty much extinct

Smallish but interesting exception, in my opinion: Panama, 1989. George Bush (pere) went it completely unilterally, no UN permission slip, to the round condenmnation of pretty much the whole world, including our usual allies. And… got the job done. Bad guy out, Panama set on path to being a pretty normal country, where they actually like us reasonably well.
And practically nobody bitches about it today, nor are explosive-wearing nutjobs making sucide runs at US Embassies over the thing.