FM newswire for May 26, interesting articles about geopolitics

Today’s links to interesting news and analysis. If you find this useful, please pass it to a friend or colleague.

1. Delusionally optimistic, but excellent data:  “Highlights of the International Energy Outlook 2010“, Energy Information Administration, May 2010
2. “Fiscal Crises and Imperial Collapses: Historical Perspective on Current Predicaments”, Niall Ferguson (Prof History, Harvard), Peterson Institute for International Economics, 13 May 2010 — Slides and transcript.  Superficial, but good intro for a general audience.
3. Demonstrating for the right to break America’s laws:  “Four DREAM Activists Detained After Sit-in at Sen. John McCain’s Arizona Office“, Vivirlatino, 18 May 2010 — Also see this update.
4. The sun also rises:  “Mexico Seems To Favor Sinaloa Cartel In Drug War“, NPR, 19 May 2010 — That’s how drug cartels operate, in the US and elsewhere.
5. Like putting a penny in a gumball machine, the inevitable:  “Mexico Rejects U.S. Media Report That It Favors Sinaloa Cartel“, Latin American Herald Tribune, 19 May 2010
6. “Costly, time-consuming test of cement linings in Deepwater Horizon rig was omitted, spokesman says“, The Times-Picayune, 19 May 2010
7. Regulatory capture at work (aka Kabuki  posing as reform):  “As Reform Takes Shape, Some Relief on Wall Street“, New York Times, 23 May 2010
8. “McChrystal calls Marjah a bleeding ulcer’ in Afghan campaign“, McClatchy Newspapers, 24 May 2010
9. “The Realities and Relevance of Japan’s Great Recession“, Adam S. Posen (Bank of England and Peterson Inst. International Economics), 24 May 2010
10. FHA boss says “Home-Financing Volume Sign of ‘Very Sick System’“, Bloomberg, 24 May 2010
11. Right-biased polls results to re-enforce conservatives’ views:  “The Rasmussen Problem“, Jonathan Chait, blog of The New Republic, 25 May 2010
12. Recommended —  Amidst the hysteria, rare sensible words about the Deepwater Horizon spill:  “For the bystanders, talk is cheap“, Erik Means (Editor-in-Chief), Upstream Online, 26 May 2010
13. Faux job creation, the government way:  “My royal runaround with the Census Bureau“, John Crudele, columnist at the New York Post, 18 May 2010 — Playing games with the numbers at the Census.
14. More evidence:  “Two more Census workers blow the whistle“, John Crudele, columnist at the New York Post, 25 May 2010

Warming up for the big one with Iran

• “Petraeus orders US spies to prepare for anti-nuclear strike on Iran“, The Times, 26 May 2010
• Officials confirm yesterday’s NYT story that the US expanded covert military operations, AFP, 25 May 2010

And let’s remember past but probably ongoing programs:

• support for Jundullah, “our” terrorists fighting Iran:  “ABC News Exclusive: The Secret War Against Iran“, ABC News, 3 April 2007
• Funding opposition groups in Iraq, 9 August 2009 — Links to mainstream media articles.
• “US Goes on Offensive Against Once-Touted Iran Diplomacy“, AntiWar, 25 May 2010 — Ditto