Gentlemen, ladies, boys, girls:
Although it is generally accepted the armed forces of the U.S.A. posses the most advanced and sophisticated weaponry systems, Great Britain, the enfant chéri of the U.S.A. is another element on the table; there you have Russia and China, both military powers, possibly lagging behind the U.S.A. in terms of armament but with huge militaries...others that could perhaps be considered "minor" are India, Pakistan and North Korea, as all three nations maintain significant military budgets -and in the case of India and North Korea we also talk about huge militaries-.
But back to the question giving life to this thread: do you believe we will live long enough to witness some sort of global catastrophe as a consequence of a militay clash between any of the present-day heavy-weights?
I am not referring to a nuclear kind of engagement as the possiblity might seem highly remote, but is it possible to think of a war other than a superpower like the U.S.A. invading nations with weak armies and/or internal chaos and lawlessness?
Do you think the geopolitical balance of the word could follow such path that any of the present-day heavyweights might wage war between them?
As it has been since ancient times, when a determined world power enters a state of war, another power, even if "minor", might join in the party to back the ally, so if a war like the one i am referring to occurs this principle will of course function. So let´s say, is it possible to see a war between China and the U.S.A.?
Still a "what if" of course, but could it happen? If so, what side would the Russians join? It is known Russians and Chinese do not have what you´d call the most pleasant of the relationships. Neutrality would be impossible in the case of the russians, they would get involved in one degree or another....
Also there is an element to be considered and that should turn out critical in case of such war: a democracy like that we find in the U.S.A. and Great Britain will be in clear disadvantage when waging a war against a totalitarian regime like China or "democracies" like that the Russians practice nowadays as the the U.S.A. and Great Britain are not good at bearing high casualties.
You may ask "How Come?". Well, it should be simple.
Russia and -especially- China have the full power to excersise a tight control of the mass media: radio, tv and, still, the internet. The U.S.A. and Great Britain can come nowhere close in performing such control of the mass media and broadcasting elements in their nations.
The Chinese and the Russians could conceal almost all information regarding the progress of the war to their people, especially the casualties, and it is not like you will see a large group of Chinese mothers gathering outside government buildings demonstrating and claiming to see their loved sons sent to the war. Think what could happen to them.
Any opinions?
Cheers!
Although it is generally accepted the armed forces of the U.S.A. posses the most advanced and sophisticated weaponry systems, Great Britain, the enfant chéri of the U.S.A. is another element on the table; there you have Russia and China, both military powers, possibly lagging behind the U.S.A. in terms of armament but with huge militaries...others that could perhaps be considered "minor" are India, Pakistan and North Korea, as all three nations maintain significant military budgets -and in the case of India and North Korea we also talk about huge militaries-.
But back to the question giving life to this thread: do you believe we will live long enough to witness some sort of global catastrophe as a consequence of a militay clash between any of the present-day heavy-weights?
I am not referring to a nuclear kind of engagement as the possiblity might seem highly remote, but is it possible to think of a war other than a superpower like the U.S.A. invading nations with weak armies and/or internal chaos and lawlessness?
Do you think the geopolitical balance of the word could follow such path that any of the present-day heavyweights might wage war between them?
As it has been since ancient times, when a determined world power enters a state of war, another power, even if "minor", might join in the party to back the ally, so if a war like the one i am referring to occurs this principle will of course function. So let´s say, is it possible to see a war between China and the U.S.A.?
Still a "what if" of course, but could it happen? If so, what side would the Russians join? It is known Russians and Chinese do not have what you´d call the most pleasant of the relationships. Neutrality would be impossible in the case of the russians, they would get involved in one degree or another....
Also there is an element to be considered and that should turn out critical in case of such war: a democracy like that we find in the U.S.A. and Great Britain will be in clear disadvantage when waging a war against a totalitarian regime like China or "democracies" like that the Russians practice nowadays as the the U.S.A. and Great Britain are not good at bearing high casualties.
You may ask "How Come?". Well, it should be simple.
Russia and -especially- China have the full power to excersise a tight control of the mass media: radio, tv and, still, the internet. The U.S.A. and Great Britain can come nowhere close in performing such control of the mass media and broadcasting elements in their nations.
The Chinese and the Russians could conceal almost all information regarding the progress of the war to their people, especially the casualties, and it is not like you will see a large group of Chinese mothers gathering outside government buildings demonstrating and claiming to see their loved sons sent to the war. Think what could happen to them.
Any opinions?
Cheers!
