So in that sense it's a valid comparison.
However, we did have a very real national interest at stake in a forceful response to the Airplane drivers. The failures of Carter, Reagan, Bush 41 and Clinton to properly respond to a series of totally typical Mid Eastern based probing attacks against the US or its interests for 20 straight years prior to the workup by said airplane drivers almost unarguably led directly to that attack in 2001.
Thus we're in Afghanistan because it was in the national interest even if being in the country, per se, is not in the national interest.
Thus, I suggest it is not a totally valid comparison.
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