World War III - Has it already started?

[Cookies]

In my opinion, we're not anywhere close to World War III. Observing these maps below (It may be outdated, but I'm not entirely sure), we get a basic idea of where we are.


World War II:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/WWII.png/800px-WWII.png


War on Terror:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/da/WOTallies.png/800px-WOTallies.png


There could be a few more countries involving right now, but look at both maps.


Discuss.

[Mitch]

Discuss.
FINE!

Due to the 2008 presidential election coming up, I don't think I will turn into WWIII, because the new president, no matter who it will be, will attempt to get out of Iraq and improve all foreign relations.

[Cattraknoff]

The war on terror is not a war on a sovereign entity. It's a war on your own rights and freedoms.

[Coll]

Aside from the inaccuracies in the map concerning the nations involved in the War of Terror, an accurate one would still be nowhere near the cataclysmic scale on which World War Three will be conducted.

Coincidentally enough though, if there were a map with enough shades to represent the varying relations of all of the countries involved in the "war" we (we being the "free people" whom George loves using in his speeches) are fighting, it would have the same nations represented that I believe would be involved in the instigation of the ever approaching World War III.

For instance, looking at the way that Russia is modernizing China's military, as well as their "non-military" alliance (ha-ha) it seems as though they'd not hesitate to support China in international affairs. Russia's oligarchs are also funding groups in Israel and it's no secret that the Israelis and Russians have been bittersweet friends for years now, ironically considering that Russia is also providing aid and arms to Iran and other southwest Asian countries.

Also important to consider, is the way the Russian Federation is trying to diplomatically exert its control over some of the former Soviet Republics such as Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. And if the CIS is any indication, several other Former Soviet Republics.

Russia's suspension of the CFE Treaty is also a major slap in the face to NATO, and thereby any major Western power. The supposed assassination of a former KGB agent in Britain didn't help matters.

How does Putin's belligerence connect to the War on Terror? one may ask.

The invasion of countries in the Middle East by the United States (and other coalition powers) were obviously not met with approval by states such as Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran, known collaborators with states that are "enemies of democracy" such as the People's Republic of China and Russia.

In addition to this, India, which is also being supplied militarily by Russia and by the United Kingdom is at odds with Pakistan and China over land disputes. Recent events in Pakistan seem to foreshadow an unstable government in the near future, possibly ending in an extremist political machine that will not only stir up things in Pakistan, but also being a member of PUOICM, could lead to large scale military activity in the Middle East against not only India, but known enemy of notable Islamic countries: Israel. As both are members of the exclusive club of nations who were formally British and are now hated by Islamic nations, there would likely be EU and US intervention.

Naturally, there are many ways this complex web of relations could erupt in war. My answer to the original question? WWIII has not started, but is well on its way.
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/7203/wallpaperworldmap2006laza9.gif

[hideip]

FINE!

Due to the 2008 presidential election coming up, I don't think I will turn into WWIII, because the new president, no matter who it will be, will attempt to get out of Iraq and improve all foreign relations.

Please answer this,
If we withdraw from Iraq now (and all at once) what is going to happen. Iraq will fall to terrorists. We are winning the battle now. I do believe we should leave but it has to be made in small moderation steps. Little by little as the Iraq army is continuoly trained by us.

[Cattraknoff]

Please answer this,
If we withdraw from Iraq now (and all at once) what is going to happen. Iraq will fall to terrorists. We are winning the battle now. I do believe we should leave but it has to be made in small moderation steps. Little by little as the Iraq army is continuoly trained by us.

I doubt you'll find anyone who disagrees with this. But it was America's doing in the first place.

[Coll]

Hopefully McCain will be elected and we can hang out there for another hundred years.

[lihen]

Definately a war has began, but you can't say it a world war III, it's more like cold war II, since the powers in world have started polerising, with communist countries promoting developing against democracies and Democratic countries doing the same against the communists.
May be this cold war didn't include millitary inteligence but it is using economy as it's weapon from both the sides

[Cattraknoff]

Definately a war has began, but you can't say it a world war III, it's more like cold war II, since the powers in world have started polerising, with communist countries promoting developing against democracies and Democratic countries doing the same against the communists.
May be this cold war didn't include millitary inteligence but it is using economy as it's weapon from both the sides

Were it truly a war with such weapons, the United States would've lost by now.

[Locke]

It's quite an inevitable occurence, so regardless of how inaccurate our speculations are they are not without merit. In my mind, a war of the same scale as the first and second will not be fought; however, successive wars (not secessive - heh) will likely destabilize large regions of the world and the "war" will be fought on an individual scale.
However, if we are capable of hegemonizing in advance of these wars we can likely survive.

[Coll]

To add a bit to the tensions, Russia seems a bit pissed that the Western leaders are recognising Kosovo.

[Locke]

As is Serbia.
This could play out badly on a small scale (but will not likely be any sort of catalyst for a large war.)