re: Alternatives
I seem to recall that we actually tried demanding that the Taliban turn over ObL and AQ, but it didn't work. Like I observed to Raoul, there are times when the circumstances make military action the only possible choice. Nothing else would have had a chance of digging them out of Afghanistan. It's kind of analogous to the way that most modern police forces have a SWAT team in reserve when they have to escalate from ordinary police techniques to military assault.
I think it's worth considering whether the analogy can be scaled up--take an international policing approach when possible, with military force ready in reserve when the circumstances warrant. I question the rigid mindset that insists that only military action will work.