[u-89]

When you say "we" bought the land do you mean the USA or US oil companies bought the land? If oil companies legally owned this land then how did our government get the right to cede it to the arabs? Were they compensated with payment or exclusive contracts through deals brokered by our government and the new Arab regimes? If all this is so then our government was involved in nation building and tampering with private property. Is not this arrangement of other's lands and rulers things that empires engage in? If we were and are so involved is it not bound to create resentment by the locals (who wants someone one the other side of the world telling them how to conduct their affairs)? and then would not Harry's arguement that our meddling invites backlash hold some water?

[weikel]

One of the legitimate functions of government is defending the property of its citizens. There is no excuse for not protecting it from militarily weak states like the tribes with flags Saudis. At the very least our government should allow those who lose property in such incidents to raise mercenary forces.