What a scary week in the Mideast.  The epicenter of the world's energy resources and the land-bridge between Asia and Africa is spinning out of control as the danger of a shooting war between the US and Russia grows daily.

A US F-18 warplane shot down a Syrian Air Force SU-22 ground attack aircraft over eastern Syria.  This was a grave, reckless provocation clearly authorized by Washington.  Russia, Syria's ally, threatened to begin targeting its supposedly deadly S-300 missiles against US warplanes over Syria.

Another US warplane shot down an Iranian drone over southeastern Syria as US forces and US mercenary Arab troops closed in on a worthless piece of ground on the Syrian-Iraq border.   Russia is rushing ten more warships into the Mediterranean, though most are obsolescent or small.

The US Navy is challenging – or provoking – the Iranians in the Gulf.  US technicians and crews are keeping Saudi warplanes bombing Yemen, where half the population faces starvation.  Just across the Red Sea, US warplanes and special forces are attacking the Somalia nationalist resistance movement, Shebab.  At least 4,000 more US troops are headed for Afghanistan's stalemated war. 

US Marines are attacking ISIS positions near Mosul, al-Tanf and Raqaa and adding long-ranged HIMARS artillery rockets. American forces are using white phosphorus, a hideous chemical weapon, against Isis defenders.  Iran may send more 'volunteer' troops into Syria and Iraq as US warplanes probe Iran's airspace.   Turkey is reportedly moving against US-backed Kurds in Syria.   Some Mideast experts believe the US may be set on partitioning Syria.

A US fighter just buzzed a Russian aircraft over the Baltic carrying Russian defense minister Sergei Shogu until chased away by Russian fighters.  Moscow is under growing pressure to retaliate against the US though President Vladimir Putin insists he wants no military confrontation with Washington.

Adding to these tensions, a palace coup in Saudi Arabia just sidelined the kingdom's iron-handed number two, former Crown Prince and Interior Minister Mohammed bin Nayef and replaced him by 31-year old Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the favorite son of King Salman.  The King is said to be seriously ill.  But the 15,000-member Saudi family is not pleased by the defenestration of heir apparent Nayef.