The US Defense Department spends a lot of money protecting the Middle Eastern oil fields. But it is also a huge consumer of the oil it protects. In fact, the US Department of Defense is the single largest consumer of petroleum in the world. Is the dog wagging the tail or vice-versa?
The atrocities in Syria continue to mount. The most recent reports suggest the systematic killing and raping of civilians by the Syrian military. Whether these reports will move Russia and China remains to be seen. Even if those two states do ultimately support come sort of intervention, it is not clear what shape that intervention would take.
The Greeks are being asked to cut even more. This process cannot have a good ending–the only question is which bad ending will emerge: revolution? complete social disintegration? the end of the EU?
Forbes magazine has published its list of the world’s richest people. There are 1,226 billionaires worth $4.6 trillion. That’s 7% of the world’s total wealth held by 0.000000175% of the world’s population. (not a quiz post)
World Politics News 
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