Me a liberal? Hell, no. However, the fact of nuclear weapons (on both sides) cannot be ignored. If it wasn’t for the nukes, and for the fact that a large percentage of the US Army is otherwise occupied, I’d be shouting for action just like anyone else.
The people in power in all the Islamic fundie countries, and also in Russia, depend on their countries’ resources being highly valuable to stay in power. Whatever anyone does (whatever, that is, that doesn’t have a serious risk of leading to World War III) Russia is going to be in charge in the disputed region for the foreseeable future. And, incidentally, the jihadis are going to continue to be active while there is a cataract of money coming from Western countries, via Saudi Arabia, to them in exchange for their oil. Although it isn’t as important, Chavez’s posturings are made possible for the same reason, and so are the excesses of many other dictatorships including Nigeria. It is unfortunate that so many vital resources are located in totalitarian hellholes, but it is a fact that has to be lived with – for now.
Make oil much less valuable, and the problem goes away. Especially if, once their oil is not needed because all that is needed can be got from less unstable and/or brutal sources – then the civilised countries of the world just refuse to buy any from them. That’s when their leaders quit causing trouble and turn to saving their own skins; when the peoples of those countries find out that oil isn’t edible.
Incidentally, one of the possible routes to independence from thugs, bandits, warlords, terrorists and religious fanatics gives, as a side bonus, the capability to do something extremely final about it, with no nasty side-effects like fallout. The jihadis get uppity? Fine. Give them a nice present of a million tons of high-grade nickel steel. Straight down, at escape velocity. Need I mention where? As a further bonus, the same energy solution probably makes the nukes worthless, as well.
Scarce resources always cause trouble. One solution to that is to make those resources either less scarce or irrelevant or both. I haven’t heard of anyone fighting wars over high-quality flint deposits lately.
