From 1942 we and the French took control of Libya and put down any independant resistance! If there is one thing Arabs hate more than anything else it is being occupied and told what to do by Westerners.
For that reason, and a bit of empathy with....
Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya et al have never been worth the life of 1 British serviceman/Woman.
... we should let them get on with it. Their stone age view of life doesn't fit with ours- so be it. And oil? They will still want to sell it, or in their isolation, they will fester and die.
If the, "We're doing the world policing so that they can't export terror to us." argument is really appropriate, then don't let them out of their borders. Any of them.
CG (Quite right wing for me- hey ho.)