Defending 100% of a pipeline 24/7 isn’t easy, especially with all those ranged munitions in the area. Based on the regions recent history I’m not sure its possible even with massive US ground presence. Too many hate us there and would be willing to die to attack ‘our’ oil. So long as it’s ‘their’ oil they’ll let it flow and use the revenues against us. And even if it were remotely possible, defending that possibility would be a yuge political negative for Trump. The public doesn’t trust those locals to work with us and it certainly doesn’t want us back there on any non-lethal missions. I don’t understand why no one has called him on it.
Again, you’re making his point. You/we don’t have to defend it. If the pipeline is blown up, ISIS gets none of it. Either way, we win.