I object to objectivism for one simple reason. There is no such thing as a completely independent person (or nation, which in my mind can be viewed as a person). For example you drive on roads built by other people, your PC was built by someone else, your clothes, shoes, and food all were produced by others. So if you were completey selfish, you wouldn't care about the people who do all those things for you. If you don't care for the others in a society (or in the case of nations, the international community), then they will eventually be unable or unwilling to provide those things for you. If you are enough of an ass, then they may even break into your house to get your stuff, etc.

Even if you don't care for others because you feel a moral obligation, failing to do so would make things worse for you.

That's why objectivism doesn't work. It seems to operate on the assumption that all humans are independant, and therefore even if your neighbor has absolutely nothing, you'll be fine because your neighbor never provides you with anything.

In other words, the reason that you'd better care about the state of affairs in the middle east is that's where we get our oil (and dates too, I think) and therefore we need to be nice to the people in that part of the world, at least if we want our cars to start up.