Saudi troops reported in Bahrain

The New York Times has the startling report from the above headline, here. The reduction in crude oil demand following the refinery fires in Japan, seemed to have lulled the oil markets into dropping prices in a manner that implies the problems across the arab oil producing countries have miraculously been solved.

The reaction to the explosions in the Japanese nuclear power generation plants, already seem to be driving the debate in the West against nuclear fuels, which in the end must require a greater reliance on coal and oil or a huge reduction in energy consumption.

What a moment for the West to appear effectively leaderless and clueless even on what to do about Libya, after days of hand-wringing!