Afghanistan and Iraq both had governments the US effectively destroyed and replaced with something worse. They then occupied each of those territories for decades.

Neither had infrastructure, roads, or active US military bases that the EU has. Neither are conveniently located near bodies of water where the US has 7 of the 10 aircraft carriers that exist on the planet. Neither were convenient to invade and dispose the government of, but the US is literally batting 1000 on doing that to whatever nation it wants no matter how remote and inhospitable its terrain.

That’s what you should be taking away from Afghanistan. Not that the US occupied it, that they easily fucked it up for generations. Something they’re now doing domestically, and loudly announcing they want to export.

Now do the US since they’re likely going to be the ones at the front of the attack on the EU.

That’s the point he’s making. Just subtly. As not to disturb the very thin skin of the US leader in charge of the world’s largest active military with bases across the world.