World Instability: Into Overdrive

Most Americans, unfortunately, are more concerned with what Steven Tyler says on American Idol than what is happening around them -- around the globe and in their country -- in their own back yards.

The erudites who read my blog and those of my Usual Suspects are people of a higher level of awareness and realize what is actually transpiring in their country and on the planet.

Oil hit $100 a barrel on Wednesday; just as I wrote on Wednesday. This is its highest price since 2008. Instability in Egypt and the Middle East is responsible. People the world over are getting nervous. Even China is clenching its security sphincter:

Yet in the past few days, after an online call to bring a “Jasmine Revolution” from the Middle East to China began circulating, the system has gone into overdrive. According to human rights groups, more than 100 activists have had their movements restricted since last Friday. Among them, five lawyers, including Mr Teng, have been detained.

More cities in Egypt erupted into violence. Kaddafi's relatives are fleeing. Saudi Arabia is taking a different tack: $37 billion dollars in paid bribes to its citizens: be nice. Don't riot. A great deal if you can pull it off. The Saudi King Abdullah can.

But perhaps BZ actually forecasts the truth: in writing about the vacuum created by the various revolutions in Egypt, Libya and other Middle Eastern states, I've submitted that the Muslim Brotherhood and/or other Islamist factions will step in. There is evidence, now, that this is in fact occurring. From the Al Arabiya News Channel (Buried, I note, very deeply in the article!):

Meanwhile Libya’s deputy foreign minister told E.U. ambassadors in Tripoli al-Qaeda has set up an Islamic emirate in Derna, in eastern Libya, headed by a former U.S. prisoner at Guantanamo Bay.

"Al-Qaeda has established an emirate in Derna led by Abdelkarim al-Hasadi, a former Guantanamo detainee," Khaled Khaim said.

Earlier, Italian Foreign Minister Francesco Franco Frattini said embattled Libyan leader Gaddafi had lost control of Cyrenaica and shared reports that an Islamic emirate had been declared there.

In Greece, there are still riots and strikes. In India, there are protests over unemployment and food prices. Oddly enough, it is India that has "outsourced" call centers from its own shores to other "lesser" countries. Sound familiar?

Even Ahmadinnerjacket now talks about circumspection (in words, not deeds):

(CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday urged Middle East leaders to listen to the voices of citizens who have taken to the streets in masses to demand a change in government -- though such protests in his own country have been crushed with brute force.

Ahmadinejad "strongly recommended such leaders to let their peoples express their opinions," the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Obama kicks the DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) to the curb; Obama has told his Attorney General to stop defending the DOMA. The act defines marriage as one man married to one woman. Uh, perhaps not so much now. While the world melts around his shoulders, Mr Obama decides it's time to open the doors to one man, one man; one man, ten women; one man, one horse; one man, one beer bottle. Or ten. Who cares?

Each day brings a new challenge.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Perhaps literally.

BZ