Come to Texas, friend. You'll have lots of company here. I left California, where I was also surrounded, behind enemy lines. Best move I ever made (and Cali is my birthplace).
As far as your take on the Middle East and Russian geo political games in that area - start writing. I think you'll do well with blogging editorials about it, and with novels. You've definitely got the right stuff for it.
One of my lifelong friends lives near Frisco, TX. His tank was the first tank to enter Iraq in the liberation of Kuwait. His platoon killed 29 tanks, and an idiot in one of the tanks in his platoon nearly shot the turret off the command tank.
He literally got out and beat the crap out of the gunner on that tank, but never wrote him up. That’s the way he is.
I too am a Northern Californian. I’m from Martinez, if you know where that is. Refinery town nearby Danville. The reprehensible George Brown is the representative for that district, and has been since the 80’s.