Pragmatically Speaking, Part 2...

[John Kilduff]

Maybe the U./S. should just withdraw from the everlasting hellhole that is the Middle East. Playing policeman forever between Shiites and Sunnis who have been at each others' throats for over a millenia seems a particularly stupid idea.

Iran's nuke sites could be bombed out, if need be, without necessitating an invasion.

Oil drilling could be allowed in the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean, with enormous reserves, and the reefs or whatever the environmmental concerns are could just take their chances. It seems pretty silly to stay at great risk and expense in the Middle East when plentiful oil reserves are right offshore of the good ol' USA. The struggle and worry for oil in the Middle East are largely unnecessary since the USA could access vast oil reserves offshore (and to a lesser extent in Alaska). Are nearby environmental concerns worth staying in Iraq forever or fighting a coming world war in the Middle East?

Maybe the USA should say screw that entire benighted region and stop worrying about that oil. If they cause too much trouble supporting terrorism, bomb the crap out of the troublemakers. Other than that, leave them to their desert oil and to their infighting forever. It is a region that has been forsaken by God and long the birthplace and homeplace of evil ideologies.

It is incredibly arrogant to think that the USA will be able to lead a liberal democratic reformation in an area that spits on the concept of genuine liberal democratic ideals and spits on the notion of religious liberty or equality. Leave this accursed dustbin to God's judgment and stay out of its troubles and irrationalities.

I'm coming to think that this would might well be the most be the most prudent course and policy for the USA. Comments?

[PLOlover]

well the point about controlling the oil is restricting it's use, so if US left ME and let them pump pump and US started pumping alaska and stuff that would be the opposite of what they're doing now.

[ALawPoker]

Sounds reasonable enough to me. Certainly more so than current policies.