Ahhh. You wrote “if we didn’t meddle in the affairs of these countries then we wouldn’t have folks there wishing to commit such acts against us.” You have so much more faith in the world. That’s where we differ.
I contend there will always be groups that want to commit acts of aggression for no other reason than we are a different religion, skin color, and/or have more than they.
Somali pirates are not hijacking ships and disrupting trade for ransom because we meddled. They are doing it to make money. Piracy is a quick way to make millions It is taking a international fleet to finally control them.
Islamist extremists going by their book believe everyone else is an infidel. And all infidels are given three choices: convert, pay a tax, or be killed. People blindly minding their own business become food when faced with that. (I won’t get into all the references – You can find it easily.)
There will always be nation leaders wanting what others have, be it, access to water, crop land, oil, nice beaches, potential shipping ports, hydroelectric facilities, etc. Do we sit by and let them bully the weaker?
Should we have let Hitler take over Europe unopposed?
Would you have ignored Kuwait’s request for help when 100,000 of Saddam Hussein’s Republican guard swooped in and took over their country. (I know it was not the whole country. It was just the oil producing part. )
Let’s take an example closer to home. I have no idea where you live. But let’s assume there is a bad area (drugs, crime, etc.) about 20 minutes from your house. Every morning you read about a home invasion, a robbery, a rape, a…. Check the news today and fill in the blank. You are free to ignore the situation and watch the news while eating supper and tsk tsk. the bad behavior of the rogues.
Why is that not your concern? Because there are others at the front line of that neighborhood taking the bullet for you. The police with the help of neighbors are trying to control it. If they do a good job you won’t be robbed. If the police were not there you could not sleep at night. Imagine if a gang started recruiting and began robbing other neighborhoods. Your neighborhood. Do you wait until they rob someone on the next street over? Do you wait for them to rob your neighbor? Do you wait for them to rob you?
As long as there is inequality there will always be someone wanting more – someone wanting what you have. Leaders of countries and religions are no different.
Sadly, I also contend that there will always be inequality. Some people don’t want to work. Some would rather play than do their schoolwork. Some will have many more children than others. Some will work hard and build things. Some will get involved with drug. Some will get sick. Some will exercise and be healthy.
And the inequality grows.
~Now give me that nice iPhone you’re using. Mine is old and the battery needs to be replaced.