Capitol police shut down Christian children's choir singing national anthem. "Too offensive".

[Anti Federalist]

Kind of sounds like how we ended up in Afghanistan for 20 years. Please explain why I'm wrong for thinking that.

I don't think you are.

It should have stayed a maritime issue and a maritime fight, over the rights of sailors not to be enslaved by a hostile foreign power on the high seas.

That phrase was the rallying cry for the war as a matter of fact:

Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights

The nation was still angry at the British over the 1807 USS Chesapeake - HMS Leopard incident as well.

The slow communications of the day, led to the Canadian invasion after the treaty was agreed to.

That was also the reason for Andrew Jackson's attack and brilliant, but utterly meaningless victory in the Battle of New Orleans.