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As most of you have seen, a very dark and angry side of the US population has sprung up in the past two days. I have been very vocal about this, too, even having one of my threads closed (not of my doing, but done rightfully so). My goal with this thread is to attempt to have a 'logical' and 'rash' discusion about the implications of the WTC and Pentagon attack. Please post any rantings and emotional thoughts elsewhere. This is to be a discusion about the thing on many peoples minds...war.
After I overcame my great disbelief that the WTC attack actually occured, the first thought that came to my mind was, "wars start over things like this." After putting some thought into it, I truely think this could trigger a VERY large war. Sadly, I believe it to be almost totally unavoidable. To begin I present some of the major contributing factors to the beginning of the first and second world wars.
WW I:
Great tensions between rival super powers exsisted. Especially between Germany and France, two very bitter enemies (to the point that Britan allied with the French during the war, and those two were looooong time foes). France and Germany had fought a very bitter war only 40 years prior, where France was rather humiliated when they discovered Napolean III was not the great military leader they thought he was. Then a trigger event occured with the assasination of Archduke Ferdinand. Germany attacked Serbia. Serbia was allied with Russia, who was allied with France, who was allied with ... etc. As more nations begin allying against Germany...Austria, Italy and thier allies rally. War begins.
WW I was the first true "modern war". It ended classic Western European field marching, formations and small arms tactics. It gave rise to weapons of mass destruction and trench warfare. The tank was born, airplanes were used for the first time in a military capacity, toxic gases were used...and most importantly...civilans were no longer off limits. The male population in France actually declined between WW I and WW II. The US is seen as a real military force, but nothing special, as the US didn't fight much in WW I (not officially).
WW II:
The Great Depression hits, all major economies are in ruins. Germany, being greatly burdened with extra duties, restrictions and land losses, in addition to the GD, is hit harder than everyone else. The German people need hope, they need someone to bring back the great empire of not so long ago. Hard times lead rise to Hitler, who ends up saying the right things at the right time. He disavows the Treaty of Versile and starts producing weapons. The German economy flurishes. Germany gains allies with Austria and Italy. They take over several smaller nations while the Allies sit idle. Fianlly they attack Poland...then France, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, etc. Allies once again unite and war begins. Japan starts it's war in Asia, eventually triggering the events that put the US in the war earlier than they would have, if Pearl Harbor did not occur. After Pearl Harbor, the US war machine starts up...and the rest is history.
WW II saw the end of the the classic European world super powers. Britan would slowly lose most of her territories after the war. France had been so devistated by the wars that it took everything they had to rebuild. Germany and Austria were rebuilt and the old way were done away. Only Russia remained, but not like Russia of old. The US is seen as a true super power for the first time. Eventually China makes it's way to the fore front. The middle east grows rich and powerful on oil.
Today:
Great tensions exist between the US and several powerful middle east nations and groups (powerful because they have weapons, they have people, they have resolve, they have money, they have oil), to name a few. The US becomes the target for several 'small' terrorist attacks. The US is sadened, but shakes it off. The e-world, which has consumed a vast majority of US and world money, crumbles. Billions of dollars are lost. The US and world economies begin a downward spiral. Ressesion begins, unemployment skyrockets. The stand off between Iraq and the US linger. Terrorism is top on many peoples minds. The Fundamentalist Muslims rally behind bin Ladin and other 'radical' leaders. Suicide bombings pop up all over the world, most of them targeted at the US and her allies. Then...like Pearl Harbor of old...the unthinkable happens. In total surprise, the US is assaulted. Unlike Pearl Harbor, the main target is two civilian structures called the World Trade Center and the nerve center of the US military, the Pentagon. Stock markets around the world plummet. An entire nation is enraged. The military is scrambled. NATO announces that they will join the US in retaliatory actions. Several middle east nations and people cheer on the terrorist attacks, which only angers the victims even more.
The events of the past two years, and especially the past two days, are almost identical to the triggers of WW I and II...both of them. Not just one of them...both of them. This is why I said, "wars start over things like this."
Now you see where I'm coming from. Now yuou see why I'm so passionate about this. This is bad folks. Realy, really, really, really, really, really, really @$#%^* bad. This has all the ingredients for a third world war. ALL OF THEM! I don't even want to think about the potential scale...
Jammrock
After I overcame my great disbelief that the WTC attack actually occured, the first thought that came to my mind was, "wars start over things like this." After putting some thought into it, I truely think this could trigger a VERY large war. Sadly, I believe it to be almost totally unavoidable. To begin I present some of the major contributing factors to the beginning of the first and second world wars.
WW I:
Great tensions between rival super powers exsisted. Especially between Germany and France, two very bitter enemies (to the point that Britan allied with the French during the war, and those two were looooong time foes). France and Germany had fought a very bitter war only 40 years prior, where France was rather humiliated when they discovered Napolean III was not the great military leader they thought he was. Then a trigger event occured with the assasination of Archduke Ferdinand. Germany attacked Serbia. Serbia was allied with Russia, who was allied with France, who was allied with ... etc. As more nations begin allying against Germany...Austria, Italy and thier allies rally. War begins.
WW I was the first true "modern war". It ended classic Western European field marching, formations and small arms tactics. It gave rise to weapons of mass destruction and trench warfare. The tank was born, airplanes were used for the first time in a military capacity, toxic gases were used...and most importantly...civilans were no longer off limits. The male population in France actually declined between WW I and WW II. The US is seen as a real military force, but nothing special, as the US didn't fight much in WW I (not officially).
WW II:
The Great Depression hits, all major economies are in ruins. Germany, being greatly burdened with extra duties, restrictions and land losses, in addition to the GD, is hit harder than everyone else. The German people need hope, they need someone to bring back the great empire of not so long ago. Hard times lead rise to Hitler, who ends up saying the right things at the right time. He disavows the Treaty of Versile and starts producing weapons. The German economy flurishes. Germany gains allies with Austria and Italy. They take over several smaller nations while the Allies sit idle. Fianlly they attack Poland...then France, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, etc. Allies once again unite and war begins. Japan starts it's war in Asia, eventually triggering the events that put the US in the war earlier than they would have, if Pearl Harbor did not occur. After Pearl Harbor, the US war machine starts up...and the rest is history.
WW II saw the end of the the classic European world super powers. Britan would slowly lose most of her territories after the war. France had been so devistated by the wars that it took everything they had to rebuild. Germany and Austria were rebuilt and the old way were done away. Only Russia remained, but not like Russia of old. The US is seen as a true super power for the first time. Eventually China makes it's way to the fore front. The middle east grows rich and powerful on oil.
Today:
Great tensions exist between the US and several powerful middle east nations and groups (powerful because they have weapons, they have people, they have resolve, they have money, they have oil), to name a few. The US becomes the target for several 'small' terrorist attacks. The US is sadened, but shakes it off. The e-world, which has consumed a vast majority of US and world money, crumbles. Billions of dollars are lost. The US and world economies begin a downward spiral. Ressesion begins, unemployment skyrockets. The stand off between Iraq and the US linger. Terrorism is top on many peoples minds. The Fundamentalist Muslims rally behind bin Ladin and other 'radical' leaders. Suicide bombings pop up all over the world, most of them targeted at the US and her allies. Then...like Pearl Harbor of old...the unthinkable happens. In total surprise, the US is assaulted. Unlike Pearl Harbor, the main target is two civilian structures called the World Trade Center and the nerve center of the US military, the Pentagon. Stock markets around the world plummet. An entire nation is enraged. The military is scrambled. NATO announces that they will join the US in retaliatory actions. Several middle east nations and people cheer on the terrorist attacks, which only angers the victims even more.
The events of the past two years, and especially the past two days, are almost identical to the triggers of WW I and II...both of them. Not just one of them...both of them. This is why I said, "wars start over things like this."
Now you see where I'm coming from. Now yuou see why I'm so passionate about this. This is bad folks. Realy, really, really, really, really, really, really @$#%^* bad. This has all the ingredients for a third world war. ALL OF THEM! I don't even want to think about the potential scale...
Jammrock
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