troll,

And what do we do when the resources aren't there to control anymore? Go peacefully into that good-night?

LH is right in part. We created the monster and like the good doctor found we couldn't control it. When he attacked Kuwait, that was made clear.

On a scale of 1 - 10, I'd rate protection of Kuwait's sovereignty at about a 4, Oil at a 9. I'm not sure how cynical the move was as leaders the world over have shown an amazing capacity for self-delusion.

If was breaks out in the mid-east, given that there are at least two and maybe more nuclear powers in the area, it may all be a moot point. A few well placed air bursts and the residual radiation might make the oil unuseable or unattainable.

Oh well, there's always Alaska.

Regards,

John