Doug Miller wrote:

Yes, it was -- but tactically, it was badly bungled. And it took our
attention
away from destroying the people who attacked us on Sept. 11.

If you mean Osama ben Laden, it was NEVER the goal of the United States to
capture or kill Osama ben Laden.

The singular goal of the United States was to prevent an attack on the
United States or its interests abroad. To accomplish this goal, several
tactics were undertaken at the same time to disrupt or destroy our enemies
communications, funding, recruitment, training, and sanctuaries and to deter
those who would assist our enemies.

If, during the execution of these tactics, ben Laden ended up dead, that
would be a plus, but it was certainly never a goal (after the first week).

Before 9-11, there was, on average, one or two attacks on U.S. interests
overseas every year (the first WTC bombing, the USS Cole, the bombing of our
embassies in Kenya and elsewhere, kidnapping or killing of U.S. ambassadors,
etc.). Since 2001 there has not be a single successful attack on either the
U.S. or U.S. interests abroad.