Jayb,
The Jihad has been going for 1400 years without a break, it will never end, the side which comes out on top in the Middle East will simply swing north to attack Europe and East to attack India, just like they did in the past:
Why We Are Afraid, A 1400 Year Secret, by Dr Bill Warner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_Qpy0mXg8Y

Foxy, I am afraid that you like most Americans you have been led up the
garden path of a great oil glut.
The US will never exceed the Saudi or Russian oil production level.
Their current few million barrels a day extra they are getting from
tight oil sources has peaked and will decline over the next 3 or 4 years.
The US will never be without oil imports. They import around 40 % of
their consumption and the tight oil will never overcome the 4% decline
rate of conventional crude oil which peaked in 1970.

The reason for the above statements is that the decine rate of the
tight wells is about 60% per year.
If a war breaks out in the Gulf we will have petrol & diesel rationing
the next day. The Gulf will be closed to shipping by the insurance companies.

After the present concentration on Sunni/Shiite warfare I do not think
they will take on the West or the East with conventional warfare.
The would know that they could not defeat the non Islamic armies.
Understand they would be up against USA, China, Russia, India, parts
of Africa, Europe and all of South America.

They will try and pick off countries one at a time by use of
immigrants, insurgents car bombs etc which may well work for them in the Middle East.
They are not in a hurry as the important thing is to advance Islam.

However this all presumes that they do not exhaust themselves into
total collapse. I doubt if the Caliphate will arise from the ashes of
the current warfare. Conflicts like this leave very long bitter memories.
Remember how often they refer to the crusades.
Can you see Sunni & Shiite countries uniting to attack the west.
Our aim should be to stir them up as much as possible.

By the time they resolve the current warfare the world may be in quite
a different economic state. They may well find it better to stay in
the Middle Eat, but then they never seem to make the best decisions.

STG wanted to talk about at least the position in parts of Iraq.
He was spot on about some strange posts,even more came after his statement.
I think we need to remember the wars in south Africa mostly Muslim vs Muslim.
Paul 1405, bloke try to understand ,this war is not a product of one western country, it hasbeen going on for longer than America has existed in its current form.

<<Paul 1405, bloke try to understand ,this war is not a product of one western country, it hasbeen going on for longer than America has existed in its current form>>

Yes, Belly, spot-on

Belly, the Middle East is populated, and has been populated by poor and dysfunctional human beings for centries. This has given rise to instability, despots etc, all leading to all kinds of armed conflicts, wars etc. The only difference between the Middle East, and say Africa, is oil and therefore vital Western interest come into play.
At one time the region was dominated by the colonial powers of Britain, France, you can even throw in the Ottoman Empire into that mix. None of whom done anything to bring much in the way of peace to the region. These powers were more interested in exploitation than peace. The modern Middle East is very much the result of actions of past colonial powers, setting up states, installing "friendly" dictators etc. Following the departure of the old style colonial powers, a new power moved in, to dominate Middle Eastern affairs, that power being the United States, all in the name of serving US interests. I say rather that acting for the good of the region the US along with such allies as Britain and Australia have turned a bad situation into an even worse situation. Today we are seeing the direct results of past western failure. The Middle East is a case of failed opportunities, through greed and vested interests, as far as I'm concerned.