Today, large parts of the world are in chaos, though ‘shooting wars’ are limited to a few pockets such as Ukraine and Gaza.
What is more disconcerting is the absence of leaders with a sober mien, who command a degree of influence across nations and continents
The vast majority of other western leaders clearly lack the qualities needed to sustain a peaceful international order.
Many increasingly face problems in sustaining their fiefdoms.
The stalemate in Ukraine continues with Mr. Zelenskyy, Mr. Putin, and the West all unwilling to consider a reasonable compromise.
The year 2024 will, thus, see a repetition of what has been taking place in Europe for the past two years.
The situation in West Asia is, meanwhile, turning critical.
Israel has been acting more and more like a ‘wounded tiger’, inflicting unpardonable casualties on the citizens of Gaza.
It now confronts a direct threat from Iran, which has already fired opening ‘shots across the bow’ at Israel, for the attack on its consular premises in Damascus and the killing of Iranian personnel recently.
All indications point to the spectre of a resurgent Iran, thereafter, taking over the leadership of militant ‘Jihadism’ directed against the West and ‘infidels’ of different kinds
Outside war-torn Ukraine, and the time bomb that West Asia resembles at present, the U.S. and China are indulging in feints, using proxies to try and achieve their objectives.
The U.S. has yet to overcome its hubris following the series of setbacks it has been facing since Afghanistan in 2020, which has removed much of the sheen attached to its being touted as a superpower.
In the case of Europe, having leaned on NATO to protect itself from Russia’s offensive, it has little to offer.
In the east, China’s economic ‘woes’ have stripped it of the afterglow of being a near superpower, one well positioned to challenge the U.S. and the West, militarily and economically.
Over the past several months, China has been compelled to operate under the radar and its image as a superpower has diminished
The politics of oil again is something that the world cannot ignore for much longer.
The growing proximity, and the axis between China-Russia-Iran, indicate that military alliances apart, the politics of oil is set to roil the world in the near future
Technology is all set to become the ultimate disruptor.
Manifest attempts are being made by several leading countries to enhance their national security by protecting vital technologies, over which they possess a near-monopoly today.
Artificial Intelligence is already a potential threat as far as conventional war methodologies are concerned, but while the U.S. and China are touted as militarily the most powerful today, smaller nations are beginning to pose a challenge, employing Artificial Intelligence, to level the playing field
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