World War III. What would it look like?

reply to post by cosmicexplorer


Thanks for that.

AAC

Some people would be tempted to put China and Russia in one camp however the reality is they are more likely to go to war with other before they would ever go to war to support each other.

It is for this reason even regional wars are unikely until the day the US leaves the world stage.

If china and Russia teamed up it would be like USA and Russia teaming up for WWII. Then right after they would turn on each other.

AAC

AnAbsoluteCreation

Some people would be tempted to put China and Russia in one camp however the reality is they are more likely to go to war with other before they would ever go to war to support each other.

It is for this reason even regional wars are unikely until the day the US leaves the world stage.

If china and Russia teamed up it would be like USA and Russia teaming up for WWII. Then right after they would turn on each other.

AAC

They'd turn on each other after?

With what? (I'm assuming that certain countries, if invaded, would use their "nuclear option" before they were completely overrun - I remember hearing somewhere that Israel have said pretty much this even though they still deny having a nuclear capability).

Don't get me wrong here, it's been close to 70 years since anyone has dared to use the nuclear option (we all know who that was!) and the threat of MAD has done a good job of assisting here - I'm hoping that this still holds true...

You have to factor in Islamic radicals as a wild card. If they take over in enough places and re-establish their Caliphate, all bets with the rest of the world are off. They could rival the old Nazi regime for viciousness and fanaticism.

When the Arab Spring began, I was watching things closely, but at this time, they don't look organized enough. If they get a charismatic enough leader in that part of the world ... it will potentially alter things.

As far as the other conflicts, we've entered a period where just the impression of power no longer is enough. In order for some to be taken seriously, you will either need a new leader to come to power who can project the force of will to be taken seriously, or there will have to be actual force applied. That's dangerous for everyone.

Thank about it - At this stage do you think anyone will take Obama or Kerry seriously until they actually do start to throw actual force around? And if they ever do, how much harder will the fight be because they are who they are with the perceptions others have of them? We better hope someone else comes to power who can be taken seriously before things break loose, or we better hope there is another leader who can come up on the world stage who can be taken seriously.

The world needs its Churchills, Roosevelts ...

reply to post by Elysarian


I don't necessarily mean turn on each with war or nukes. But with flexing muscles like US /Soviet Cold War post WWII

AAC

AnAbsoluteCreation
reply to post by Elysarian

 

I don't necessarily mean turn on each with war or nukes. But with flexing muscles like US /Soviet Cold War post WWII

AAC

I see your point now.

I could see this coming to pass if such a conflict were to end with China and Russia being the two most powerful countries left standing after a worldwide war though, the roots of the cold war were a mix of clashing ideology and a case of the two biggest kids in the playground squaring off for dominance.

reply to post by Elysarian


Could happen if the dollar tanks. However, I also believe USA would recover within a decade (or two) if that did happen. But look how America hot powerful after WWII. They established the world bank and dollar as global reserve currency. All that they would have to do if they thought the dollar would collapse is start a global war with allies, kick everyone's butt, then reimplement a new currency after the dust settles.

AAC

If every country used their nukes it would take about 1000 years for the dust to settle and the planet would look like Mars.

NeoSpace
If every country used their nukes it would take about 1000 years for the dust to settle and the planet would look like Mars.

That's the rub. I think super powers are resigned not to use their nukes. But if they were on the verge of defeat, that idea might fly out window.

AAC