This didn't seem quite right to me-- Finally decided that I think it's worse than that, that somehow the uncivilized desert is seen as holding threats to the civilized world, so we have to tame it out of self-defense. I think even people who do get "it doesn't belong to us" can give in to this kind of fear, especially when there seems to be some basis in reality. (Thus imperialism and terrorism in a worsening cycle.)