Question, when W was in office why didn't you question where he was when something horrible in the world happened?

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If we are going to get involved, then go balls out. Both half-assed it. Both surges worked great, but predictably, when the situation got "good enough" we drew down rapidly and didn't go for the jugular.

Limited warfare and insurgency don't mix. Popular support, the most important factor in winning insurgencies in these particular places is being the strongest side. When we surged and went on the offensive, the tribes took our side, when we predictably pull out rapidly, they return their loyalties to the insurgents. It's a survival mechanism. Iraq could have been sustained, but the Shia government was more interested in payback for their suffering under Sunni/Baathist government, that they alienated that population and created the conditions for ISIS.

Afghanistan is a tad more complicated because of their uber tribalism, where tribal tradition even trumps Islam. Those people will never get along, and the Taliban has the perfect safe haven and external support to just wait us out. The old saying at CENTCOM was that we had superior firepower, but they have time. Taliban and the population know we won't stay, so they they patiently waited for the drawdown and then reasserted themselves where we left. We should just pull out of Afghanistan all together, because half-assed effort is just delaying the inevitable at the cost of our human and monetary treasure.