General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A poll about our newest war for our dear DUers [View all]Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)And, using violence to curb the violence in the Middle East has proven, time after time, to only produce more violence. Most of the Middle East would be a backwater, usually ignored, if not for the oil. Look at the ongoing and much more brutal civil wars in sub-Saharan Africa that are ignored or pooh-poohed as "tribal-disputes". Much of our economy is still dependent on oil, if only because the oil states have a great impact on the world economy in the way of loans, grants, taxes, etc.
The question that's important enough to frighten "the West" into intruding is, "What will happen if ISIS succeeds in overthrowing the oil states and stops the flow of oil and money to the west?"
I contend that our interests are NOT humanitarian or to "spread democracy" or the other convenient platitudes, but the much more crass interests of capitalism and the protection of capitalism. Worse, a brief glance at history will tell us that our interventions have been fruitless and actually added to the chaos and that a new one will, in all likelihood have the same (or, worse) results.