Mentioning that may risk contempt, from those who otherwise don't care, because it involves friends of the USA, who appreciate the successes we have managed to accomplish, rather than just talking about their aspirations, then leaving them to be slaughtered when they arose, again.

That's not what Pickens is demanding, nor what is the subject, nor what we undertook in Iraq, obviously.

Where Pickens actually is subject to intelligent criticism is the example he has sought of joining the environmentalist crowd (who politicizes both science and energy policy) and wants alternative energy generation, which at least used to include support for a project with which he was involved — which had featured not only wind power but potential water transfer to the big, and to-become-huge-in-the-future Dallas-Ft. Worth metro area (Sun Belt site). Water promises to be a big issue throughout the Sun Belt, in the Southeast as well as the Southwest. (So is the power to run all the air conditioning that will be needed, as well as other uses of electricity in a heavily growing area.) Who knows, were this project really to materialize to its fullest, it might even involve something more than we could never hope to see in Iraq, which is a possible extension of the Interstate highway system directly from Dallas toward the Panhandle (DFW-Amarillo).

As to the argument about repayment for what was spent, okay, Kathy, then you're challenged to be both logical and consistent, and treat Pickens even less harshly than the Obama administration and extremists who support the dictum-order from Washington that bank execs' pay be taken from them.

Be suspicious of anything Pickens' asks for. Remember his push last year for renewable energy? It was all about getting set-asides for his own businesses.

You know Leonidas, there are many many people suffering worse fates. The people in Sierra Leone are being tortured and maimed on a daily basis by a cartel of thugs that run the place. Why aren't we there? No oil. The Kurds were a nice pet project to justify stealing oil. We could make pet projects out of so many worse situations to help people. Why aren't we? No oil. Your “actual compassion” for the Kurds themselves is heartwarming..