http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-the-us-navy-protects-the-gulf-2012-9

"ooohlalalarry on Sep 27, 1:06 PM said:

Yup, protection, that's what they're going."

Our Middle East policies make no sense to me.

Why are we in a war?

$$$$$$$$$$$$?

Because Britain, France, and the Sharif of Mecca decided to carve up the former Ottoman lands in such a way so as to keep local populations busy fighting each other instead of building their own societies and challenging their colonial masters. We inherited the blowback when the region, particularly it's oil, became a piece in the Soviet/American Cold War chess board.

Tho frankly, I think our own relative restraint is fueling the problem. Our military supremacy is insufficient deterrent with a culture where bluster and bravado is it's own reality.

You're both right.

War is big money to lots of American industries.

To stop the wars would end a large segment of the economy.