I most surely would have a job.

And I've got a nice sized farm for myself. That doesn't stop a chunk of the global economy getting hit by a shock wave. Specifically the U.S. The amount of money and lives required to hold that location would be expensive. Instead of a tossing a few million to them, the occasional trainer to teach them stuff, and letting them deal with it themselves, America would have to reinforce the position mostly alone.

who gives a fuck about some country nobody in this region wanted in this first place?

A lot of crazy people want that place. Doesn't make much sense to me either, but they do. Religion and money go hand in hand.