The problem is that we need these people's cooperation to operate in the region, and we're afraid of upsetting them. The U.S. has a long history of using the philosophy "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" regardless of who that "friend" is, all under the guise of spreading freedom. It's a sick farce that too many people fall for.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
