Who Cares?

Editor,

Asking for fighter jets sounds like stoking an arms race to me, and more arms means escalating regional war.

It is understandable that human beings under the very real gun of very real violence ask for more and stronger weaponry to defend themselves, but -- forgive me, comfortable as I am in my safe surroundings -- war begets more war.

States like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are extremist themselves, rely on extremist fighters to advance their aims, and inject foreign fighters where instability presents them with opportunity.

Infuriating as negotiating with these partners is -- and ideological lines are so hardened in the region that the task must appear impossible -- the only path to arrive at a stable arrangement is political.

If extremist states and their proxies insist that only battle to the death will solve who rules in the region, the USA has no reason to get involved.

U.S. involvement only advances U.S. interests if stability is attainable. Otherwise, if the region is in chaos, who besides weapons manufacturers cares who is on top today, tomorrow, or next week?

Re: "The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Plea to Americans" (10/30/2013)