Should we go back to the era when the Persians from the area of Iran attacked the Greeks? How much ancient history involving the middle east do you want to explore. Should we discuss the Muslims from the Middle East invading Constantinople and most of central Europe. The Moors invading Spain. Do we want to discuss Islam's long term war on the west going on for centuries. You fail to remember that the crusades were a response to Muslim attacks on Europe. Or you can just answer the question, when during the past four decades has the West taken oil from countries in the Middle East?
I am sure that even you are capable of googling ISIS/ISIL. However by the time you post about them here you will be telling us they are charity organizations.
But since you don't know where Iraq et al came from, knowing what ISIS/ISIL means may give you a clue.
Which doesn't answer the question. But you go ahead and draw the blinds. That will make everything better.
DB, it's one thing to attempt to provide historical perspective, no matter how flawed, but you seem to have gone over to justifying their actions. Do you think the Germans have a right to be boiling with resentment because we "took" France from them? Or is your point that the modern ME countries are largely artificial post WW I constructs and that ISIS is just restructuring them into coherent ethnic bodies? It doesn't bother you that they are doing it by barbarically brutalizing people who have no desire to be ruled by them?
Understanding the situation does not amount to justification. As far as "barbarically brutalizing people", I'll remind you again of the thousands we've killed, including civilians, since the Gulf War, not to mention the tortures we've engaged in. This whole "Who, me?" thing that conservatives play doesn't really work, you know?