What are the chances of a 3rd World War

Hi Panda

Unfortunately I believe they are quite good in the not too distant future. Not so much as a result of what is happening in the Ukraine. I believe that will remain a kind of economic sabre rattling, although for the people living there, it is much more serious.

My concern is Iran. Only a couple of years ago, Rouhani was accepted to be rather hawkish almost as bad as Ahmadinejad. The trouble really being that it is the Mullahs who really rule the country and the president is little more than a mouthpiece for them. His apparent conversion to the ranks of the doves is to say the least suspicious.

I feel there is little doubt that they are developing a nuclear weapon, and the means to deliver it. Of course they deny it strongly but their faith allows; even encourages them to lie in order to further the cause of Islam. Once they have it, the will simply shrug their shoulders and say so what we have one now, and the genie will not go back in the bottle.

That opens up a new world order for terrorism and it is a virtual certainty that they will use such a weapon on Israel. Israel will respond in kind, perhaps attacking more than one possible enemy and that could lead to a rapid escalation. That to me is the main worry. Although of course there are other countries whose regimes are not too stable at the moment. Pakistan N. Korea, both havens for terrorists.

Morning katertaif

The U.S. is no longer a major force, China and Russia are the Leaders now. The UN, G8 etc have proved how ineffectual they are , I agree, Iran is a loose cannon. will they be the first to release a nuclear weapon? The Americans can't talk , look what they did to Hiroshime?

What a b****y mess !!!

Good morning Panda

The trouble is that we in the west, and that includes the USA have in effect emasculated ourselves with human rights, and so called bleeding heart liberals. literally any tin pot dictator can push us around. In Britain's defence, we were bled white by two world wars, and our present situation is a follow on from there.

I can only agree with you that Iran is a loose cannon and Pakistan, is hotching with Taliban and other potential terrorists, and their security leaks like a sieve. A lot of fissionable material is suspected to have gone missing from Russia and the Ukraine since the end of the cold war. No one knows how much. Possibly even the States has lost some. Again no one is saying. I suspect enough to cause panic. Even if they don't manage to get their hands on a complete weapon, with access to radioactive material it would be easy enough to make a dirty bomb.

N. Korea is not an Islamic state of course but I think they can be classed as a terrorist one. It would be in their interests to help some terrorist group to destabilise things. Providing it could be done without it being traceable back to them.

Any of that mix could act as a trigger for what you rightly describe as a b****y mess.

katertaif wrote:Good morning Panda

The trouble is that we in the west, and that includes the USA have in effect emasculated ourselves with human rights, and so called bleeding heart liberals. literally any tin pot dictator can push us around. In Britain's defence, we were bled white by two world wars, and our present situation is a follow on from there.

I can only agree with you that Iran is a loose cannon and Pakistan, is hotching with Taliban and other potential terrorists, and their security leaks like a sieve. A lot of fissionable material is suspected to have gone missing from Russia and the Ukraine since the end of the cold war. No one knows how much. Possibly even the States has lost some. Again no one is saying. I suspect enough to cause panic.  Even if they don't manage to get their hands on a complete weapon, with access to radioactive material it would be easy enough to make a dirty bomb.

N. Korea is not an Islamic state of course but I think they can be classed as a terrorist one. It would be in their interests to help some terrorist group to destabilise things. Providing it could be done without it being traceable back to them.

Any of that mix could act as a trigger for what you rightly describe as a b****y mess.

The Americans are very gungho but now that they are not the Worlds' Policeman who can possibly act as a deterrent if any of the emerging Nations
threaten to destroy Planet Earth?

Have to go out for a while, will catch up later.