The Fall of the Invisible Empire

This is a pretty good analysis from a Brit concerning the upheaval of our interests in the Middle East. He points out the hypocrisy of, on the one hand encouraging democracy everywhere, and on the other hand supporting corrupt dictators like Mubarak and Ghadaffi. He also points out this obvious fact about America:

"It is certain that America will, in due course, be forced into a massive adjustment both to its living standards at home and its commitments abroad."

True enough.

Libya: It's About the Tribes

Finally! An article that points out what is really going on in Libya (and most of the other Arab nations). The tribes are revolting. This is why Libya can go from peaceful to nightmarish overnight. There are several different tribes in Libya and Ghadaffi can only count on the loyalty of his own tribe now. He's in deep trouble.