"We can't even claim Mecca and Medina have strategic military value. It would be an act of pure meanness and cruelty. It would be the act of a bully."

Maybe it's this idol worship of a space rock which causing all the problems.
Though can't say I know much about history of this rock.
I think I'll prefer Publius idea of taking the rock better than nuking the place [or steering another space rock in the same area:].
Who knows what Americans will do if an American city is nuked. I don't even know what those pussy French would do if Paris is nuked. I don't think the Russians would roll over if Moscow was nuked, though getting rid of so many bureacrats may cause some cheering in some parts.

So I guess you think Iran is a bully because some of it's leadership says it going to nuke Israel? And I suppose that is pure meanness and cruelty, but that is hardly new from regime that buries women to the waist and stones them to death.

Anywho. I'm in middle of reading:
http://www.geocities.com/martinkramerorg/ArabNationalism.htm
from:
http://www.geocities.com/martinkramerorg/NewsReviews/Recommendations.htm
[by Martin Kramer http://www.martinkramer.org/pages/899526/index.htm

It's pretty interesting. And I find his writing quite funny but informative.