h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

At the risk of sounding nationalistic or non-pc, if WW3 does happen then the scenario would be a 'Western Alliance' and an 'Islamic coalition' probably in the middle-east. The way that Bush and his supporters view the world, especially in a Christian fundamentalist way, means that they have a very real belief in Armageddon. I think they would see it as a moral crusade. The flashpoint could either be Iran or Saudi Arabia.

If it is not religion that starts yet another war, it will be over oil!
No matter what starts it, if it does happen I believe it will be fought with conventional weapons. No one wants to be held responsible for launching a nuclear war!
Air power will be a dominant feature, yet I personally believe that if there is a war, and God forbid, there is, there will no front line as we have known them in the past. The war will be where You Live, and Work! Terrorists will be well established in their country of attack, working in under cover cell groups. No one knowing the other, as if captured they can not give away any info. Also they will be perfectly happy to die for the cause. A familuar context used by Japan in WW2.
No army on earth will be able to protect us! we will be the targets, not the army!
Its happening even today! all you have to do is look around you!
I only hope and pray for our next generation, to look back, take heed, learn from history, and stay well clear of any future war. No one will win? there will be no parades, just martyrs and death all around us. Not on the battle field, but in our cities and homes.
So lets not even talk about war any more, whats wrong with just trying to live together in peace and harmony. An impossible idea some might say, but surely worth a try!
Smudger.

I agree that there will not be a convential WW2 style conflict as the USA holds all the aces for that kind of war.
Any worldwide conflict against the west will probably follow the pattern of Northern Ireland. Terrorists with no uniform who are quite happy to plant bombs and kill civilians but who pretend to be innocent bystanders themselves if caught. The West's sentimentality is used to prevent the state from using its power for fear of offending popular opinion. "You can't lock those guys up, they say they aren't terrorists"

Good point, but hasn't that 'war' started already?

Some may say it has? Thankfully its not global, mind you there have been smaller wars continueing ever since the end of WW2, I just wonder at times why, as there never appears to be any winners!
When you consider just how much is spent on war, if it was on the market, there would be no investors, due to the Small Returns on your investment
Smudger.

Their should be no such thaught as the west verses Isla. Unfortunaetly we have a lot of misundestanding between the two camps, especially as we have two extremes ie. American style ''Freedom and blind patriotism'' and Islamic extremists i.e Aslamah Bin Laden {indiently created by the C I A }If we can find a common ground and not bicker over oil then a war of terrorist action will be faught. Fortunaetly for us in Britain i do feel that we wauld fair better in this sort of war, the U S would not cope with the shock of more of their civillianns dying on the streets week in and week out.

Televised pictures of the troubles in Ireland seem to harden our resolve for us here in th UK.
Yet they had the opposite effect in the USA during the Vietnam war? and started to change public opinion towards the war! even to the stage of public protests in the streets! Yet then again that war was over 3000 miles away, not on their streets!
Smudger.

Televised pictures of the troubles in Ireland seem to harden our resolve for us here in th UK.
Yet they had the opposite effect in the USA during the Vietnam war? and started to change public opinion towards the war! even to the stage of public protests in the streets! Yet then again that war was over 3000 miles away, not on their streets!
Smudger.

Televised pictures of the troubles in Ireland seem to harden our resolve for us here in th UK.
Yet they had the opposite effect in the USA during the Vietnam war? and started to change public opinion towards the war! even to the stage of public protests in the streets! Yet then again that war was over 3000 miles away, not on their streets!
Smudger.

Televised pictures of the troubles in Ireland seem to harden our resolve for us here in th UK.
Yet they had the opposite effect in the USA during the Vietnam war? and started to change public opinion towards the war! even to the stage of public protests in the streets! Yet then again that war was over 3000 miles away, not on their streets!
Smudger.

what about the shootings that have just started to take place, taht is some ones private war, even if just between gangs, it could spread

WWIII would not be conventional, every WW has been different

1 was static
2 was a bit more dynamic with a front line

the next may have a front line, but it if it does it will mean little, it will be fought be terroists and Special Forces, both gruops working covertly in the opposing side country

"No one wants to be held responsible for launching a nuclear war!" More like no country wants to be held responsible for launching a nuclear war.

With the break up of the soviet union nullifying any non proliferation treaty we may have had with the USSR and North Korea opting out of said treaty, the likelihood of any individual or group of extremists with 'nothing to loose' acquiring such weapons puts us at a far greater risk than we were during the height of the cold war.