Exactly. The only way we defeat them is to leave that part of the country.

Prior to WWII they got all their revenue from selling junk and food during the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. They were very poor. The oil in the Mideast has been called the greatest treasure mankind has ever found. If we transitioned on a massive scale to Thorium nuclear power or compact fusion they could go back to running carnivals during Mecca and we could leave them alone.

Problem is, they know this and are in the process of transitioning their economies to be supported by massive state funded airlines. They have the resources to fuel those airlines for a very long time and for a very small amount of money compared to the rest of the worlds global airlines. If we won't buy their oil, they will just grow their airlines to burn the oil and fund their economies that way. That is why they don't care if they have 200 fuel guzzling A-380's.