Same as it ever was..

I'm not sure.. Do they start these Gulf get togethers with the same toast every year? Because nothing has changed in the past 30 or so years.

So, while on the one hand it sounds sort of newsworthy that the Saudi king suggested the Middle East is on the verge of exploding, on the other hand, when you review the names, the places - Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon - they have a certain familiar ring to them and the thought has to creep into your mind (along with that beat):

Same as it ever was... same as it ever was... same as it ever was...

What does this mean for oil prices? The usual, volatility.

AFP via Yahoo! News: Gulf summit opens with warning of regional explosion.

Quotes:

RIYADH (AFP) - Saudi King Abdullah opened the annual summit of Gulf leaders with a warning that the Arab world was on the brink of exploding because of conflicts in the Palestinian territories, Iraq, and Lebanon.

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[Ever wonder if this thought enters President Bush's mind? I do.

My God! What have I done?

Note: Not a political statement, just sort of a reflective question.]

PS. Select lyrics from the Talking Heads: Once in a Lifetime.