Vicente del Bosque's side have still not clicked in South Africa - and the South Americans put them under real pressure before being controversially reduced to 10 men just before half-time in Pretoria.
U.S. financial institutions, including our major banks and money market funds have substantially reduced their exposure to the economies of Europe that are under the most pressure.
This week there was talk that Grover Norquist mooted the concept of swapping a carbon tax for a reduced income tax, a position he summarily reversed the following day underpressure from the energy lobby.
Lebanon, albeit under a sectarian quota system, has converted people's street power into parliamentary elections that have drastically reduced the influence of Syria, whose army has withdrawn and whose own regime is underpressure to reform or go.
Their principal ally in the region -- Syria -- is under extraordinary pressure from not just the United States and our allies, but today the Arab League reduced their diplomatic relations with Syria and recalled their ambassadors.