This is Communist China’s century.  We’re just diminishing in it.

Late last week, this happened….

‘A Wall of BRICS’: The Significance of Adding Six New Members to the Bloc:

“The BRICS bloc of top emerging economies have taken a major step in expanding its reach and influence with the announcement that six more nations have been invited join as new members.

“Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to join as full members from January 1 next year.

“The bloc, which was formed in 2009 with Brazil, Russia, India and China, first expanded to admit South Africa in 2010.

Sounds like China is teaming up with just about everyone on the planet – except US.  And it means a whole lot – to a whole lot:

“China recently brokered the re-establishment of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, a role that would traditionally have been filled by a country like the United States.

“India’s recently signed an agreement with the UAE to trade in Indian rupees and Emirati dirhams instead of in the US dollar.

“Crucially, Naidu argued, the expansion list is ‘very energy centric,’ adding that following the announcement, some analysts at the venue even facetiously commented if they should ‘call it BRICS plus OPEC?’”

What do these shifts away from the US – mean for the US?  I’ll take them in turn. (more…)