projecting force

John Bolton's out; his schemes for war roll on
his acolyte O'Brien stays the course.
The planet's ills are all  blamed on Iran
on data misinterpreted, or worse.
A dozen players want to see this fight
from Netanyahu to the MEK.
The  surge in crude oil prices seems alright
if your exporting and not in the fray.
Iranians just want to live their lives;
the Mullahs kept the bargain, for their part
Obama's pact was scrapped by 45
It's not the Persians acting black at heart.
Domestic politics drive the world scene
demanding victims to the War Machine.

high stakes

binSalman brooks no rein on what he'd do
his father's only king in name alone.
He's moribund, and seems to have no clue
of what's been going on behind his throne.
Khashoggi dared to criticize the state;
he printed what no Saudi's free to say.
The prince's thugs minced him like fishing bait;
Ankara's sewers flushed the bits away.
Such drama's damaging the royal brand;
investors shun the grisly atmosphere.
There're cousins far more fit for the command,
who know there's more to governing than fear.
When Salman dies, it all comes to a head
and MbS must then be king--or dead.

geopolitical

extractive industries tore up the West
the landscape's a cartoon of broken health
while foisting all the costs onto the rest
the Few monopolized a nation's wealth
Sistani voiced the wisdom of the East:
a nation's minerals belong to all!
so Rumsfeld heeded him not in the least
but gave his ExxonMobil friends a call
the elements of Eden form the Earth
but fair apportionment has been our bane
none need face penury by right of birth
if Justice were the goal instead of Gain
if planet Earth is not to be Hell-bound
those fossil fuels must be left in the ground