Ok let's up the stakes on the headline and ask "Are we headed for WWIII?"
Personally,
as much as i hate to face it, i think so. Everyone before the first
two world wars thought that humans had reached "enlightenment" and would
not fight again on a global scale. So for me the arguments that "we
have evolved beyond war" or "we are too technologically advanced and
interconnected" or "commerce will suffer" are not valid in discussions
of "Realpolitik".
Friction points of note, largely left out of
western media: The Putinites vs. the Ukraine. Recently the Putinites
showed they still knew how to shoot in Georgia. As a side note, when
google earth first came out i said "cool" and took a look at
Petropavlovsk. The old soviet ssbn's were in an obvious state of
disrepair (rust) and lashed together 5 and 6 deep side by side to their
moorings. About a year or two ago, they were "cleaner" and showed signs
of having been moved around. Now many are gone leaving behind orderly
docks. The Putinites have been having some fun with their assets,
running MiG's into western Naval drills, overflights of American Naval
assets and other assorted provocations. They appear to me getting
bolder by the day and (the Ukraine's) Tymschenko is calling for
revolution from her jail cell. Will the people of the Ukraine revolt
and the Putinites step in to keep their catspaw in power? Stay tuned to
that channel.
The S. Koreans and Japan have recently had a tiff
over territory but it reached a higher angst level with the S. Korean
President calling for a Japanese apology over WWII war crimes (comfort
women). What is clear from western media is that S. Korea demanded that
the Emperor deliver the apology, however what is missed in the papers i
have read is that they demanded that the Emperor kneel. I have this on
good account from a Japanese friend and they are terribly upset over
the demand. China publicly calls for restraint and calm while driving
wedges between the Japanese and the S. Koreans under the table (response
to the "Asian Pivot").
The Paki's and India have their own
problems in Kashmir and any surrounding conflict will likely cause them
to try and settle old scores
As far as the middle east goes,..
I'll just say that since WWII it has never been a good omen when
Egyptian tanks and troops are moved into the Sinai (straddling the Suez
with firepower in case they decide to close it). Iran's greasy fingers
are all over the ferment in the middle east. The If and or when they go
nuclear question rises to the level of any crisis most people alive
today can remember. Allowing a baby state like Iran to have a nuke is
like giving a toddler a six shooter. The US and other western powers
are morally obligated to stop them. The consequences of appeasement
here will be devastating.
Mexico just had it's second largest
city held hostage by cartels including most of the state of Jalisco
(more than 20 simultaneous roadblocks) which includes a significant
European/American/Canadian/Japanese retirement community at Lake
Chapala. Leading me to comment about local/internal security...
We
now have enought 5th columns to support a roof; La Raza-Mecha, the
NBPP, OWS, and the followers of the prophet. These people need to be
held accountable for their loyalties, swear loyalty to the US first, and
if you are not willing to do so, face deportation to somewhere that
agrees with you. Europe had best watch their immigrant populations as
the middle east heats up. There is no Geneva convention to many of the
players in this game
To paraphrase Winchell or Cronkite "History's terrible geography lesson is about to begin."
Vote!
