Meanwhile, Greece s agony continues, and the markets wait to swoop down on Portugal, Ireland, Italy, and Spain.

So any mention of a new stimulus package becomes an open invitation to those on the right to pounce on a Democratic administration for its apparent fiscal irresponsibility.

With Saddam gone, Iraq s Shia majority assumed power after a horrendous civil war, leaving Iraq s defeated Sunnis longing for revenge and waiting for an opportunity to regain their ascendancy.

Every week, a preposterous coterie of European bankers and finance ministers drags itself from one capital to another to discuss which default restructuring plan to adopt. Meanwhile, Greece s agony continues, and the markets wait to swoop down on Portugal, Ireland, Italy, and Spain.