Another effect of the increasing turmoil between Israel and neighboring guerilla groups will likely be higher oil prices. That's in addition to the annual price hike that comes with the summer driving season.

Gasoline is very unlikely to ever get cheaper. In 2004 the average US price was $1.84. Last summer as I drove through Arkansas, Alabama and pre-Katrina Louisianna, there were plenty of truck stop signs with the first digit missing. It was just $_.35/gal, because they thought the $1-something gas would be back. It won't.