There are many factors creating a general deterioration in the international situation: Putin's adventures are such an item, but the pressure being put on so many countries in dealing with the consequences of climate change will only increase from now being serious to becoming ever more severe. The Syrian war was powered by domestic instability exacerbated by ongoing drought in rural areas, many countries in Africa are awash in climate refugees and now south asia is increasingly affected. BC fires, California fires... it all takes a toll economically. Theses things add up more and more and will increasingly become intolerable. Meanwhile the lack of mature leadership in the world's most powerful country hurts us all. But we need to remember who are friends are, and we need to show sympathy for all. The only way through the coming trials will be with cooperative international action, even as pressures toward war and instability will mount.

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