Inflation is very real for Middle East

I read an article in the New York Times today about the rapidly rising prices of basic goods in the Middle East. It is amazing to look at how prices have more than doubled in a matter of weeks on products like gasoline, bread, eggs and cucumbers. In America we are complaining about smaller issues going on but we seem to have no idea about the problems other countries are going through. Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are appearing as emerging markets but many of their citizens are worried that they are struggling in a society where a proud few are emerging as a new entrepreneurial Aristocracy. People are struggling but they see new signs of wealth whereever they look they are ever more out of their reach.

Looking forward, the real issue I see is a potential problem with more uprisings as people become more distressed at their quality of life in relation to others. This is a real problem that both the new class and the government need to address to help their own people. For America, I only hope that if nothing is done for them, this new anger is directed to people within their own countries instead of towards the United States.

Article from NYT here