Deep Concern

They said today that if Obama can't bridge a $10 billion gap in spending cuts demanded by the newly-empowered Republicans, the US government will shut down at the end of this week.

That's the home story.

Overseas, the US is into its third concurrent conflict and - while printing money to pay the bills - it faces a real threat to the dollar's standing as the world's reserve currency.  If that happens, the already soaring gas prices in America will go orbital. 

America's major trading partner Japan - the world's third largest economy - is in the grip of financial and nuclear crisis following the earthquake and tsunami.

Then there is the Al Qaeda and jihadist exploitation of the unrest in Libya, Egypt and Yemen, Iran's ongoing nuclear weaponisation and serious questions about Saudi Arabia's future after its invasion of Bahrain.

One would expect the Obama administration to be deeply concerned about any one of these crises - let alone all of them happening at once.

But there are still more important priorities.

Yesterday's statement from The White House:

"The United States is deeply concerned by continuing Israeli actions with respect to settlement construction,"  (Tommy Vietor: National Security Spokesman)

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