That's an awful lot of dancing for a simple question.
Here is the simple fact, a country like the USA cannot pretend not be involved if they are engaged in international trade. What happeend in 1941 proves this. And if the US had turned a blind eye to what was happeening in China history would have judged us very harshly.
You absolutely can "Be in the world" but not "Of the World"
WWII is entirely different than Libya, Yemen, Iraq or Afghanistan. With Japan we were trying to influence/bully them and they got pissed off and ultimately nuked, something I have absolutely no problem with. I'm likely here as a result of the decision to nuke Japan as my Dad was training for the invasion of Japan and ended up in the Army of Occupation.
The point and fundamental difference is we had a Declared War, something we haven't had since BTW and this has not served us well. Over time and in response to the Cold War we maintained a strong military presence around the globe which was arguably justified. Pardon me but I was looking on the map and the USSR doesn't exist. We Won the cold war and now it's time to come home.
You want to help Afghanistan? Legalize Drugs here in the US and contract with them to provide the raw ingredients. When capitalism breaks out the desire for Freedom & Liberty follows. Once the money starts flowing the warlords lose their grip and religious fervor doesn't buy designer jeans so the Taliban loses it's ability to recruit young impoverished men in droves as now like all young men they want to look good and get laid. So they get a job in a robust growing economy. I mean hell it has no place to go but up. We don't have to throw 100K worth of men and material, we just need to give them an opportunity to trade with us. It's the age old adage, Money Talks and Bullshite walks"
Why do you think Libya mellowed out and paid off on Pan Am 103? He wanted more international trade. Which he got which created a middle class that now wants his head on a stick. It's just like Jefferson said, When the people fear their government there is tyranny (Kahdahfi, Assad, Mubarak, Saleh etc etc) When the government fear its people there is liberty" The citizens of the Arab Spring are working things out for themselves and we should allow them to do so without intervention. Once they get squared away we can sell them all kinds of crap to help them rebuild. These countries shouldn't be expense items they should be profit centers for US companies.
Let'em be. There is no direct threat from Libya or the others. Besides it's to damn expensive and the cost outweighs the benefit. How many school books can a cruise missile buy?