You asked in your title what point I was trying to make. I was trying to suggest that the record of recent military "punishment" operations shows that they have not had any of the 5 desired effects of punishment. I think it is probably the case that short of winning a general war and then trying the leadership of the losing side, that will always be the case. And, IMO, the only aim of punishment that this latter course will meet is that of retribution/revenge.
What we've got here from the administration is best exemplified in this scene from Blazing Saddles. (It might also be "failure to communicate" as Strother Martin said in Cool Hand Luke but that is a different point.
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