Jake McGuire wrote:
Did killing 3000 people in New York make the US
reconsider it's policy of keeping a military presence in the Middle
East, or did it make them look for something to smash?

A bit of both, actually.

"http://www.saudi-us-relations.org/newsletter/saudi-relations-interest-8-30.html"

"U.S. officials transferred control of portions of Prince Sultan Air
Base to
Saudi officials at a ceremony Aug. 26. ... The last Americans will
complete the U.S. pullout in early September."

You are right about the historical results of strategic bombing.
But I wonder what the difference would be between today,
when the U.S. can attack at will with little fear of counterstrike,
and a future when more and more potential adversaries will
be able to counterstrike. And not just a one-day attack, but
over and over again for days and weeks and months. This will
shift, though maybe only slightly, the balance of world power
I think, because it will limit U.S. actions.

- Ed Kyle