Well, here I go, getting political, even after I hoped I would not, but maybe if I go ahead and say these things, the discussion can move to other types of opinions.
I have always heard that the only way to be sure that someone is no longer an adversary is to make them your friend, and get them to understand that being your friend is better for -them- than not being your friend.
I can think of a few reasons to want to help out someone that is not in your own back yard, not the least of which may $.
Also, unless we engage with other people, we will never give anyone a chance to prove that they may not be our enemy and us not their enemy, nor will we ever begin to understand their culture, nor will they have any opportunity to learn and appreciate our culture.
I somehow doubt that being born a Persian, a Cuban or North Korean automagically makes you evil, any more than being born in Iceland.
Of course the same reasons (whatever they may be) that the rest of us here try to help each other would be a valid reason to be willing to help someone.