The international reaction to the Egyptian coup is difficult to interpret, and the media is making analysis difficult. Check out this article from Al Jazeera. Then read this article from the New York Times. Note the differences in interpretation, particularly on Turkey and Qatar At least Syrian President Assad is brutally honest and direct. Of course, the only game open to him is the game of Realpolitik. Meanwhile, the military is cracking down hard on the Muslim Brotherhood. The moves are profoundly undemocratic and they will make possible reconciliation highly unlikely.
Portugal is the latest casualty in the austerity mess in Europe. The government is close to collapse as efforts to close the budget deficit seem doomed to fail. Just a few months ago, Portugal was the poster child of the austerity movement (as was Ireland a few years ago). Both countries, however, are having increasingly more difficult choices to make and their growth rates seem to be declining rapidly.
For a chilling read, check out this article on the role of US Special Operations in the world today. The world is a very different place than it was just 12 years ago.
World Politics News 
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