5 Reasons You Should Care About Sudan War

The conflict between Sudan and South Sudan may seem far-flung, but Scott Baldauf of the Christian Science Monitor runs down five reasons Americans should pay attention, including:

• Gas prices: They may have eased in the US lately, but instability in oil-producing nations could change that in a hurry. One of the main disputes in the Sudan conflict is over how to share oil revenue.
• China: Beijing has a big stake here, given that it buys 60% of Sudan's oil. China generally doesn't get involved in internal disputes, but it is already "deeply involved, behind the scenes" in trying to find a resolution. It could be a precedent-setter.
• More 'lost boys': Decades of previous fighting led to a generation of refugees known as the Lost Boys of Sudan. The new fighting already has pushed 35,000 people from their homes. Is a new generation of lost boys imminent?

Click for the full list. (More Sudan stories.)