In The Year 2050+
Dread
Join Date: 2002-07-24 Member: 993Members
Join Date: 2002-07-24 Member: 993Members
in Discussions
<div class="IPBDescription">The age of superpowers?</div> It currently seems that world is reforming in to bigger world powers. Let's see how it could be in the future.
Europe
EU is still going strong and lately there has been discussion about EU's own legislation. New countries are joining and the common currency euro is spreading nicely, even though some EU countries haven't accepted it yet(shame on you UK and Swedes <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->). Some countries are getting annoyed by Nato and USA's actions especially(Germany, France, UK people I've heard, though not Blair) and at the same time there's been talking about EU's own army which currently is only small EUF(EU force). I wouldn't be surprised if nato and EU would drift apart even more. As it seems that Bush is doing a good job driving it's allies away and connceting EU countries to each other even more. EU as one tight super power of the future is possible and even probable.
USA
USA stays as a superpower for some time in the future, though other countries are catching up. I'd say USA won't be the only ultimate superpower for too long anymore.
Russia
Russia still has deep economical scars from Leninistic era but with its nuclear arsenal it's still a superpower. Maybe their economy strengthens slowly and Russia will once more stand among other superpowers but I'll seriously doubt it. Russia seems to be always one step behind.
S-America, Africa, Mid-east, Australia, India
These are countries and continents that are not likely to become a part of bigger superpower alliances. They are either too poor, too badly administered, too far away from everything(sorry Ryo <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->) or culturally too different. However forsee that Mid-east and Africa still remain as a major battle field in the future. Western nations will rival to be the one to give 'humanitarian' help, even with guns. At least as long as they have valuable resources.
China+Korea+Japan
Now this is really far fetched but I really believe in balance I truely hope this kind of alliance will happen. The old enemies are already getting together to do a software program, now that's a start. I would see nothing more gladly than a balance in the world with 3 or 4 superpowers watching for each other so one can't bully all.
Europe
EU is still going strong and lately there has been discussion about EU's own legislation. New countries are joining and the common currency euro is spreading nicely, even though some EU countries haven't accepted it yet(shame on you UK and Swedes <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->). Some countries are getting annoyed by Nato and USA's actions especially(Germany, France, UK people I've heard, though not Blair) and at the same time there's been talking about EU's own army which currently is only small EUF(EU force). I wouldn't be surprised if nato and EU would drift apart even more. As it seems that Bush is doing a good job driving it's allies away and connceting EU countries to each other even more. EU as one tight super power of the future is possible and even probable.
USA
USA stays as a superpower for some time in the future, though other countries are catching up. I'd say USA won't be the only ultimate superpower for too long anymore.
Russia
Russia still has deep economical scars from Leninistic era but with its nuclear arsenal it's still a superpower. Maybe their economy strengthens slowly and Russia will once more stand among other superpowers but I'll seriously doubt it. Russia seems to be always one step behind.
S-America, Africa, Mid-east, Australia, India
These are countries and continents that are not likely to become a part of bigger superpower alliances. They are either too poor, too badly administered, too far away from everything(sorry Ryo <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->) or culturally too different. However forsee that Mid-east and Africa still remain as a major battle field in the future. Western nations will rival to be the one to give 'humanitarian' help, even with guns. At least as long as they have valuable resources.
China+Korea+Japan
Now this is really far fetched but I really believe in balance I truely hope this kind of alliance will happen. The old enemies are already getting together to do a software program, now that's a start. I would see nothing more gladly than a balance in the world with 3 or 4 superpowers watching for each other so one can't bully all.
Comments
Historically speaking, most super powers lasted a lot longer than 70-80 years, so I doubt the USA is going to fade anytime soon. Europe was probably the most powerful in the world for a good 1000 years(at <b>least</b>) before 2 World Wars killed them. Rome was super power status for 650 years, and USA is very young at being the world's super power as of now. It's only been super power for about 70-80 years now(since the end of WWI). Only thing that could rival USA was if something terrible happens to USA.
As for Europe becoming a super power again, it's highly unlikely. No military, and the economy of Europe is only strong when together... not something to boast about if you ask me.
Some part of asia will probably be the next super power, but not for a long time. As long as China continues to act communist, along with North Korea, these countries will never achieve super power status. The only reason Asia could be strong though has something to do with having 2/3's the world's population in it.
Europe
EU is still going strong and lately there has been discussion about EU's own legislation. New countries are joining and the common currency euro is spreading nicely, even though some EU countries haven't accepted it yet(shame on you UK and Swedes <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->). Some countries are getting annoyed by Nato and USA's actions especially(Germany, France, UK people I've heard, though not Blair) and at the same time there's been talking about EU's own army which currently is only small EUF(EU force). I wouldn't be surprised if nato and EU would drift apart even more. As it seems that Bush is doing a good job driving it's allies away and connceting EU countries to each other even more. EU as one tight super power of the future is possible and even probable.
USA
USA stays as a superpower for some time in the future, though other countries are catching up. I'd say USA won't be the only ultimate superpower for too long anymore.
Russia
Russia still has deep economical scars from Leninistic era but with its nuclear arsenal it's still a superpower. Maybe their economy strengthens slowly and Russia will once more stand among other superpowers but I'll seriously doubt it. Russia seems to be always one step behind.
S-America, Africa, Mid-east, Australia, India
These are countries and continents that are not likely to become a part of bigger superpower alliances. They are either too poor, too badly administered, too far away from everything(sorry Ryo <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->) or culturally too different. However forsee that Mid-east and Africa still remain as a major battle field in the future. Western nations will rival to be the one to give 'humanitarian' help, even with guns. At least as long as they have valuable resources.
China+Korea+Japan
Now this is really far fetched but I really believe in balance I truely hope this kind of alliance will happen. The old enemies are already getting together to do a software program, now that's a start. I would see nothing more gladly than a balance in the world with 3 or 4 superpowers watching for each other so one can't bully all. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well the only reason Russia's econ is bad off is the switch to hate-ism.
Historically speaking, most super powers lasted a lot longer than 70-80 years, so I doubt the USA is going to fade anytime soon. Europe was probably the most powerful in the world for a good 1000 years(at <b>least</b>) before 2 World Wars killed them. Rome was super power status for 650 years, and USA is very young at being the world's super power as of now. It's only been super power for about 70-80 years now(since the end of WWI). Only thing that could rival USA was if something terrible happens to USA.
As for Europe becoming a super power again, it's highly unlikely. No military, and the economy of Europe is only strong when together... not something to boast about if you ask me.
Some part of asia will probably be the next super power, but not for a long time. As long as China continues to act communist, along with North Korea, these countries will never achieve super power status. The only reason Asia could be strong though has something to do with having 2/3's the world's population in it. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
You don't think China is a superpower? Laff
You appear to forget that at the time of Europe dominating the world, the countries of Europe were competing against one another for their own gain, not the gain of Europe as a whole.
As for the "economy of Europe" - the countires in Europe have their own economies, not one as a whole.
China, Korea and Japan aren't going to join in an alliance. The Japanese Government is trying to <a href='http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3181083.stm' target='_blank'>review Article Nine of their constitution</a> and indeed there is talk of <a href='http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/08/09/wjapan09.xml' target='_blank'>Japan wanting nuclear weapons to defend itself</a>.
Sure, egypt lasted for couple of thousand years. I'm just saying that maybe more superpowers will be coming up in the next decade and USA probably can't do whatever it wants when there are others as powerful as it.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->the economy of Europe is only strong when together...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Doh, hence the EU <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Australia already has close ties with the US, which in my opinion is a fading super power. The US will only get weaker in time unless there is a change in the economy for the better or some piece of new tech puts it in a decisive lead.
The EU will most likely grow tighter bonds. I wouldnt find it absurd to see england eventually join the EU.
Africa will not become a super power any time soon. Not unless there is some SERIOUS development, even then, it will probably take a while before it can be considered as a set of developed countries.
In my humble opinion, the palestine/israeli conflict will continue well into the future. I seriously doubt if there will ever be a solution to settle both sides down, if ever.
If the middle east follows a path of development, I'm sure they will be able to claim some mediocrity of power in the world of the future.
The asian region in my opinion will be the main hotbed. NKorea will be a continuing problem, unless there is a change of government or the leaders dedicate themselves to building their country. China is most definitely a force to be reckoned with today, if they follow the path of development, I would not be surprised to see China dominating the asian region in the future, much the same way Russia ruled eastern europe and aquired sattelite countries. The biggest spark will probably be between the china super power and the US superpower. The EU will likely act as a kind of mediator and champion of the UN.
South america will need loads of development before any country in it can be considered a power of any sort.
It's difficult to predict future trends. There could be any number of scientific, sociological, biological or even pharmacological advancements/revolutions that could tip the balance of power.
The US might discover some fundamental new form of physics vaulting it ahead in a tech race, China might find a new sociological advancement that knits people more tightly together and unites them to a common goal, the EU may discover a "Universal Vaccine" that could cure any disease which would gain it immediate support from impoverished countries, or some other country could find a fatal flaw in human DNA that could only be reversed by retroviral engineering.
Perhaps an asteroid will head our way and we might stop pointing the nukes at each other and point the nukes towards the asteroid instead, perhaps Atlantis might be discovered and we find that we do not orinate from this planet at all... (flights of fancy I will admit).
Optimistic view: Nations band together under the UN, which becomes the World Government
Realistic View: Several super powers emerge that vie for power and result in a static balance
Cynical view: Several super powers emerge and nuke each other
Sadistic View: Asteroid smacks the earth and wipes out humanity
Just for clarification. The United Kingdom is already part of the European Union, it is not however part of the European Single Currency, the same goes for Denmark and Sweeden.
<a href='http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/european_union/newsid_2139000/2139013.stm' target='_blank'>http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out...000/2139013.stm</a> Please don't be insulted that's from the Children's BBC News site, its just the easiest format I could see of it.
<!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
What the heck? The USA never does only 'what it wants'.
And about China being the next super power:
- Lots of people
- Getting to an excellent miltary(not as advanced as USA's by a good shot though)
- Economy... *cough cough* Lots of industrial, but as far as making big bucks in the purely commerical areas it's lacking... this is why it would be idea for an allience with Japan, but it's never going to happen.
Money keeps going to money, the only real things that throw off this trend are War, Technology, Depression.
War: US wins.
Technology: Best in the world pretty much, and most engineers come to USA to make a living.
Depression: We aren't even close to something as bad as the great depression.
Europe: Despite attempts by the EU to connect the nations of Europe together, old political, cultural and social differances remain which have prevented any amalgamation of Europe. In the East, a resurgant Russia has brought strong economic pressure to bear on the Baltic states and former Russian republics. Although Russia has not actually taken over these countries, economically and politically these nations now answer to Moscow.
Russia: After almost 20 years of economic and political turmoil after the collapse of the USSR, Vladamir Putin in 2004 manages to finally smash the power of the Russian Mafia. By 2005 Russia's crime rate has plumetted, with the price being a greatly increased police force. Despite the loss of individual freedoms average Russians are pleased with a more authoritarian setup, especially when it achieves results. With the Mafia's power broken, Russia focuses on exploiting the vast resources of Sibera, importing western technology and advisers. With these raw materials Russia is able to commense large scale military production, with a view towards exporting cheap, affordable but potent military hardware to the highest bidder. With the armaments industry fueling Russia's economic recovery, Russia begins to place economic pressure on Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Republics of Central Asia. These former Russian vassals, whilst remaining independant, increasingly become tied to Moscow. Today, Russia is a leading exporter of armaments as well as being home to 3 of the world's 10 wealtheist corperations.
The Middle East
Despite the establishment of a democratic state in Iraq following the 2003 American invasion, by 2005 the Middle East remained mainly under the control of despots. The Iranian Nuclear Crisis of 2006, which was caused by the successful testing of an Iranian nuclear weapon, placed the United States under considerable pressure to invade or at least neutralise the percieved threat of Iran. When the US remains uncommitted to such an action, in June 2007 Israel decides that she will act in her own interests. 24 Israeli fighter bombers destroy the central Iranian nuclear production facilities and also hit the Iranian Shahab MRBM missile silos in one single raid. Iran is furious and warns Israel that retaliation will be "swift and merciless". Israel prepares itself for a strike, but Iran does not attack. Instead, Iran turns it's attention towards buying armaments from the newly resurgant Russian arms industries. Israeli fears grow as advanced main battle tanks, in particular the T-100 and T-105 series, combined with variants of the S-300 and S-400 SAM systems and squadrens of SU-35 fighters flood into the country. Russia, still smarting from the American decision to invade Iraq in 2003, is more than happy to supply Iran with materials. By 2010, Iran's armed forces have grown considerably, and the government in Tehran announces that the nation is restarting their nuclear program. 2 reactors from Russia have already been assembled and production is restarted.
Israel is swept by panic. The government quickly decides to first request assistance from the Americans, and if that fails to once again take matters into their own hands. The American administration, still facing attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, is warey of another Middle Eastern venture. Israel decides they cannot wait and in Feburary 2011, a second attack is launched against the Iranian nuclear facilities. This time though it is a disaster. Advanced Russian SAMs destroy half of the attacking aircraft and a furious air battle sees 8 Israeli and 14 Iranian fighters destroyed. Iran declares a holy war against Israel and their American allies. Iranian tank and infantry formations cross the border into Iraq. The biggest surprise for the United States comes when Saudi Arabia announces that whilst it is neutral in the conflict, all US troops and equipment must be removed from Saudi soil immediatly.
The US administration quickly moves to re-enforce it's troops in Iraq. However as a double carrier battle group approaches the Straits of Hommuz, multiple launches of missiles are detected on the Iranian coast. 7 minutes later the battle group is under heavy missile attack from long range Russian-built cruise missiles. 4 ships are sunk, and the aircraft carrier Independance is so badly damaged that she must be adandoned 2 days later. She sinks quickly afterwards.
The ground war in Iraq at first goes well for the Iranians, but it quickly turns sour. American forces, backed up by Israeli air power, turn the tide of the Iranian advance after 3 weeks of intense fighting. By April, US forces are crossing into Iranian territory. Large scale precision bombing of Iran, which had already begun, now intensifies. A US Marine Expeditionary force numbering over 60,000 men lands in the south of Iran and establishes a beachhead.
T
he Iranian government now panics. An American fuel-air explosive bomb which devestates half a battalion of Iranian troops near the souther beachhead is mistakenly identified as a nuclear blast. Iran's ruling council decides to use their nuclear arsonal. On April 17th, 2011, 5 Iranian Shahab missiles are launched from secret facilties. US aircraft bomb the silos minutes later, but they are already too late. One missile is targeted at the southern beachhead. Patriot 2 missiles manage to intercept the warhead but a partial yeild still occurs. Over 5,000 US marines are killed. Another missile is targeted at Baghdad. This one hit's it's target, detonating with a yeild of some 75 kilotons. Over 100,000 US lives are lost and over a half a million Iraqis killed or wounded. The 3 remaining missiles are targeted at Israel. Advanced missile interception systems in Israel manage to intercept 2 of the inbound missiles, but the 3rd hits Tel Aviv. Over 700,000 israelis die, with countless more wounded. Israel retaliates immediatly. 3 Jericho missiles are launched at Tehran. All 3 hit, and Tehran is completly devestated.
With no government, the Iranian war effort collapses. US troops in the west and south move rapidly into the inland, annhilating the remaining Iranian forces. By June 9th the last major opposition is gone.
The years from 2011 to 2020 see the Middle East try to recover from the devestating war of 2011. US troops remain in Iran and considerable pressure is placed on Saudi Arabia to reopen it's borders to US troops. Israel even today has not recovered from the loss of Tel Aviv and the resulting radiation spread across the country.
2020 marked the beginning of the end for Middle Eastern power as oil wells began to run dry. By 2030, most of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and Syria were devoid of oil, and the world, which had already begun turning towards alternate fuels, now moved it's attention to African and Russian sources of oil. The Middle East today is a poor, desolate region still plagued by the aftermath of the 2011 conflict. Although no major conflict has struck the region since, it's economic effects are still seen today. Tehran has never been rebuilt, nor has Baghdad.
Asia: The expansion of the economic freedom zones initiated by Deng Xioping by 2007 has resulted in a China that is more capitalist than it is socialist. The central party remains strong even today, but it's role in Chinese society and politics has been reduced. China's economic expansion by 2010 had produced a nation that was beginning to outstrip the United States in terms of production and economic power. State run enterprises were now almost gone, crushed by competition from Chinas' free market corperations.
The one bump in China's road towards super-powerdom came in 2015. Taiwan's government, hopeful that the new-look China was going to be more moderate, decided to declare official independance from the Chinese mainland. Immediatly there was a response from Beijing: 10 squadrens of fighter aircraft were scrambled into the skies over the Taiwan Strait and the People's Liberation Army Navy mobilised. Messages from Beijing indicated to the Taiwanese that China would not tolerate an independant Taiwan.
The United States was placed in a rough position. The Taiwanese government immediatly asked for US assistance, but the US was still smarting from the 2011 war with Iran. To get involved in another potential powder-keg was, the administration thought, not a good idea. But the US was determined to protect Taiwan, and if that ment a show-down with China, so be it. The US 6th fleet moved to Taipai and took up positions in the Taiwanese strait.
For almost 9 months these two forces stared down one anothers gun barrels. China issued statement after statement condemning the American pressence, whilst the US administration, under attack politically at home, maintained it's pressence. Finally in July 2016 the PLAN returned to their ports and the Chinese air force ceased patrols over the Taiwanese strait. The US 6th Fleet remained on station for another 4 months, then returned to port as well. The situation seemed to have been defused.
China though had not forgotten about Taiwan, nor had she abandoned all hope of the wayward island from returning to mainland control. From 2016 to 2033, China began actively competing with Taiwans' principle export market. Chinese corperations, with a little direction from the government, began to flood the market with Chinese goods that were cheaper but almost on par with Taiwanese goods. Taiwan, although independant, started to suffer economically. It's major corperations started to go bankrupt as Chinese competition grew. By the 2030's, Taiwan was facing a growing national debt and the collapse of most of it's major industries. All the while China maintained a friendly stance, constantly reminding the Taiwanese that if they joined with China, the mainland would pay all their debts and revitalise their economy.
2042 saw Taiwan finally begin to bow to Chinese pressure. The government decided to hold a referendum to determine if the people wanted to come under the PRC's control. The results showed that 54% of the population were in favour of reunification. The Taiwanese government, reluctant to give in, tried to strike a deal with China. In return for the island's return to PRC control, Taiwan would remain, as Hong Kong, a "special economic zone", free from most of the constraints that remained in many parts of the PRC. China accepted and Taiwan ceased to exist as a nation.
Today China is without doubt the most powerful nation in Asia. It's economy shows no signs of decreased growth and it's products fill shelves across the world. Although it is still communist, it is much more capitalistic.
The Korean situation remained a possible flash point until 2009. After the Democratic Republic of North Korea's successful test of an atomic bomb in 2004, the country continued on it's Stalinist, isolated path. Crop yeilds continued to decrease and the country became mired in absolulte poverty and starvation by 2007. When the ruling party found it could no longer feed large sections of their military, they paniced. In August 2008 the ruling members of the Party and the head generals of the army, airforce and navy simply flew out of the country to exile in Spain. With it's leadership gone, the party functionaries were left with no-one to turn to. In a society that had been ordered and controlled for so long, they lacked individual initiative. Large scale rioting followed, with populace alongside soldiers smashing open the stores of the elite, plundering stocks of foods and luxuries. Faced with utter disorder, the highest remaining member of the Communist Party sent a request for the South to intervene.
Two years later the two Koreas were officially joined as the Republic of Korea. Today, the South is still trying to rebuild the shattered North and and effects of having to care for the North have taken their toll on Korea's economy. Korea is not as large an economic power today as it was 50 years ago. Time will tell whether Korea will survive or eventually be swallowed up by it's giant neighbour to the west.
North America: The past 50 years have seen the United States not so much lose it's staus as a superpower but rather fall behind others. After the disaster that was the 2011 war with Iran US administrations began to take a much more cautious view towards foreign ventures. Whilst maintaining their pressence in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, American forces were gradually phased out in favour of local troops and police. The US of the 2010's was concerned with mimimising potential casualties, and that ment bringing the troops back home.
The War on Terror was thought to have ended in 2006 when a surprise raid on an abandoned camp high in the Afghan mountains uncovered a lone grave. DNA analysis confirmed that the body was that of Osama Bin Laden. He had died of natural causes in 2004. The second Bush administration proclaimed that victory had finally come about, and that "never again will America suffer from terrorist attacks". For 4 years, the statement was correct. Then in 2015, a single devestating attack occured that rocked the United States far more than September 11.
On the morning of October 2nd, 2015, a truck stopped in the middle of down-town New York. Traffic behind it quickly built up and a policeman walked up to the truck to try and see why it had stopped. He never reached the door. A thermo-nuclear nuclear device with a yeild approaching one megaton was detonated inside the truck at 9:14am New York time. Over 4 million US citizens were killed.
A grief striken United States immediatly tried to track down the perpetraitors. The newly revigorated War on Terror would last another 6 years and see thousands of Americans killed. The group that commited the New York Bombing were traced to Iranian fanatics, a group called Iranian Eternal who had obtained the device during the 2011 war. They had planned the attack for 4 years, learning how the bomb worked and installing their own enhancements. The then shipped it, peice by peice, first into Mexico then over the US border before finally detonating it in New York.
The US tracked down this group with incredible speed. US forces in Iran were called in and 2 cells of the group destroyed. But what the US quickly learned was that this group was but one of many, and they had all taken their cue now to launch their own attacks. Afghani, Iraqi and Iranian groups all launched their own attacks against targets in the US and the Middle East. In July 2016 A car bomb exploded in Los Angeles, killing over 340 people in a crowded shopping mall. August of the same year saw a cell apprehended attempting to poison the water supply of Chicago. In March 2017 an Iraqi suicide bomber managed to blow up a liquified natural gas tanker in Basra, destroying 3 US navy vessals and killing over 10,000 US soldiers and Iraqis. 2018 witnessed 3 attacks: the detonation of a sarin gas shell in the subways of San Fransisco (1456 deaths), the destruction of the US embassy in Cairo (213 deaths) and the hijacking of an Australian cargo ship carrying thousands of tonnes of ammonium-nitrate fertiliser. The ship, which had been headed for Los Angeles, was blown up in the harbour, killing over 12,000 people.
Finally in 2021 an uneasy peace settled. The main Iraqi, Afghani and Iranian groups had been eliminated and the US government, whilst not rash enough to delclare victory, stated that for the time, it seemed that the threat had lessened. The only attack of the 2020's was an attempted hijacking of a passanger train near Denver, but it was halted and the group resonsable tracked down and eliminated.
The large scale reduction in US troops in the Middle East may well have had much to do with the lessening of attacks. By 2021 total US troop commitments in the Middle East numbered only 20,000, many of these technical advisers to the reformed Iraqi, Iranian and Afghani militaries. These groups were instrumental in the tracking down of the groups that attacked the US in the 2010's. By the end of the 2020's the US had virtually completly withdrawn from the Middle East, leaving behind it's legacy in the form of democratic governments in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. Although these 3 nations remain today poor and underdeveloped, many US officials believe that they no longer pose a threat. Since there has not been a terrorist strike against the US since 2023 (unless the internet virus "Steam" of 2033 can be seen as an attack), the US believes it is correct in it's assessment.
Today, the US is largely concenred with competition from China and Russia. Although the US remains very strong both militarily and economically, it continues to fall behind Russia and China. Successive US administrations have decreased the size of the US military whilst increasing spending in public works and services. The goal of the US in the 2050's is to revitalise it's economy by revitalising it's people. Although some have termed developments such as free health care and tertiary education as "socialist", the more liberal US governments of the 2040's maintain that it is the only way to compete with China and Russia. It remains to be seen whether this will work.
That's all I feel like writing. Africa and South America are pretty much the same today as they were in 2003; neither has managed to economically recover from their colonial periods. The two major differances are the vast, desolate regions known as the Amazonian Deserts and the large scale growth of the Sahara. Two thirds of Africa is now desert, and the resulting famines have caused some nations to simply disapear. What little arable land remains in both continents struggles to feed the teeming millions who remain. It remains to be seen if either South America or Africa will ever recover from their current slump.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->unless the internet virus "Steam"<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--kida+Posted on Sep 16 2003, 06:28 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (kida @ Posted on Sep 16 2003, 06:28 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
Awesome story, I can't wait to hear more. But you know what? I think the worst is yet to come. In essence what you wrote could and will probably happen in the not so distant future.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
50 years is not actually very long time.
Must be a Mason - stop controlling the future!
Good story mate, I love reading things like that.
A lot has changed in 50 years. See how things turned up with Russia and Japan, USA and European countries? What makes you think that things can't change just as much in the next 50 years?
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->As for Europe becoming a super power again, it's highly unlikely. No military, and the economy of Europe is only strong when together... not something to boast about if you ask me.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I had to take this part again because I didn't do it properly earlier:
-We do have a military. Actually we have many armies. We don't have one common army but every country has it's own. Hell, even Finland has a bigger army in terms of man power than USA <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
-Economy is strong together and that's the whole point. I can see EU growing even tighter and giving a good competition for US. Also in the years 2004 EU will have two times as much population as US. EU is in civilian technologically just as advanced as USA. EU is falling behind only in military tech and that's probably something it will start catching up IF it will keep making bonds and getting together.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->What the heck? The USA never does only 'what it wants'.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't want to start arguing about this and I'm sorry for the 'harsh' comment but you've done excactly what you've wanted in many cases. You didn't actually listen to UN in Iraq or Afghanistan <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Now THAT is a political forcast.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What the heck? The USA never does only 'what it wants'.
And about China being the next super power:
- Lots of people
- Getting to an excellent miltary(not as advanced as USA's by a good shot though)
- Economy... *cough cough* Lots of industrial, but as far as making big bucks in the purely commerical areas it's lacking... this is why it would be idea for an allience with Japan, but it's never going to happen.
Money keeps going to money, the only real things that throw off this trend are War, Technology, Depression.
War: US wins.
Technology: Best in the world pretty much, and most engineers come to USA to make a living.
Depression: We aren't even close to something as bad as the great depression. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
lol. Someday the "superior" techology our country uses in the military will be its downfall
Africa: By 2014 Africa was facing a medical crisis that was approaching plague proportions. The AIDs virus had continued it's rampant spread throughout the continent to the point where entire countries were infected. 2014 saw a virilant form of influenza arrive in South Africa via an airline passanger from Russia. To most of the world, the disease was a minor annoyance. For Africa's AIDs weakened population, it was devestating.
Between 2014 and 2016 seven eighths of Africa's population was wiped out; over 875,000,000 people. Most of the African states simply ceased to exist. Only one state, Egypt, was able to emerge from the slaughter. Images of abandoned cities, some slowly burning down, others the scenes of lawless rioting and looting, remain potent today. Refugees swarmed north from the diseased sub-Saharan zones but found only starvation in the north, with no refuge from the plague. Egypt survived by draconian measures including the shooting of anyone attempting to cross their borders. Almost total anarchy ruled Africa for all of 2015 and 2016, and even today the remaining communities attest that the vast majority of Africa's land remains uninhabited and lawless, with a few corperate mines and oilwells the only signs of civilisation.
The remaining survivors, concentrated in the Niger river basin in West Africa and surprisingly inside South Africa itself, tried slowly to restore some resemblance of order to their societies. A successful AIDs vaccine, developed in 2021, was flown into the remaining pockets of human population by UN aircraft. This could not help many of the survivors who remained HIV positive, but it did give some communities hope. Regional governments were created under UN supervision that aimed to simply provide adequate food at first. The Republic of Niger, the South African Federation and Egypt are the 3 remaining political entities left in the Africa of today. Together they lay claim to only 13% of Africa's total landmass. The remainder is under UN control, and the organisation leases out sections of the abandoned lands to various corperations. The money gained from such leases has given the UN much needed funding.
The effects of the African Plague hit global economies as well. Major corperations were forced to move centers of manufacturing elsewhere, many chosing China. Others decided to remain in Africa, moving their operations to the Niger basin or Southern Africa where they were able to find ample supplies of workers. A few companies have taken to establishing small outposts in the UN controlled outback regions, and whilst some have met with commerical success, others have vanished without a trace.
Today Africa's remaining population has, in many ways, a brighter future than their ansestors of 50 years ago. Food is no longer a problem and almost total employment has lead to wealthy and healthy societies. This does not mean that Africa is a world leader economically, but it is slowly growing. The challange for the leaders of Africa today is to ensure that their new populations never again face the problems their forefathers faced.
South East Asia: Africa however was not alone in their struggle with AIDs. In Thailand, the influenza virus hit the country hard in 2014. Large sections of Indonesia, India and Malaysia were also affected. The plague was not as devestating as in Africa however. Whilst Thailand was the worst hit, with 27% of it's total population dying between 2014 and 2016, the rest of South East Asia emerged from the crisis fairly intact. China simply closed it's borders during the epidemic and continued it's vigerous policy to eradicate AIDs within it's own country.
By 2021, with the AIDs vaccine now availible, the threat of AIDs in South East Asia had largely passed. However, whereas the plague in Africa had, although in a nightmarish fasion, solved the problems of food supply and overpopulation, in India and Indonesia the problem became worse. Immigration to Australia increased from 2003 to 2024 when Australia, with a population of 32 million, finally announced that the country could support no more immigration. Immigration focus switched to the United States and China, but both countries were soon finding it hard to cope with the influx. The eventual adoption of a Chinese style "one child policy" in Indonesia helped ease the problem, but for India it's population continued to grow, reaching 1.5 billion by 2030.
The India-Pakistan conflict of 2031 was in many ways a response to India's population problems. The government was becoming increasingly desperate for a solution, yet religion and culture both inhibited the spread of contraceptives and small family policies. A bad harvest in 2030, caused mainly by El Nino effects but also by increasing pollution from China and India, placed millions of Indians in threat of starvation. Hordes of Indians tried to cross the border into Pakistan, where the situation was little better. Pakistan responded by closing it's border with India, but more Indians continued to try and cross. On May 14th 2031 a Pakistani captain, faced with a crowd over over 13,000 Indians, panicked when a shot was fired. His nervous troops fired into the crowd on his order. Machine guns and tank shells tore into the unprotected refugees, killing or maining over 2,000 of them.
India was furious over the incident and demanded an immediate apology along with thousands of tonnes of grain as "compensation". Pakistan refused outright, instead calling on India to control their own people. The Indian response was to bombard the border post at the site of the massacre with artillery. Pakistan responded with an air strike in Kashmir against an Indian air base. India then mobilised it's armed forces and began to move its' forces on the border against Pakistani positions. Two massive battles resulted, with each side taking casualities in excess of 50,000 men. By the end of May, India and Pakistan were locked into a war that had been brewing for decades.
Despite international pressure to end the conflict immediataly, neither side was willing to co-operate. Both India and Pakistan had eagerly bought up Russian military hardware in previous years and as such they were fairly evenly matched. After an intial Indian charge that penetrated 50 kilometers into Pakistani territory, the battles stagnated. What neither side was able to do was break the defensive fortifications of the other. Russian SAM systems had advanced to the point where virtually any aircraft could be targetted and destroyed, and as such the skies over the India-Pakistani armies cleared after a few weeks. Tanks, even the massive Russian T-128s could be easily defeated by computer guided anti-armor artillery shells, such as the Chinese Sky-Fire system that showered the battlefield in thousands of depleated uranium rockets that homed in on upper tank armor. Anti-tank weapons for infantry had also greatly advanced, including the RPG-45 fire-and-forget missile that packed a fuel explosive warhead. The result of such weaponry was a gigantic version of the First World War fought with 21st century technology. However, unlike the First World War each side in the India-Pakistan conflict possessed the means to break the stalemate. For the watching world, it became a question of which side would use their nuclear arms first.
What eventuated was not however the apocalyptic scenario that the world had expected, but it came very close. On Augest 23rd 2031 US satellites detected major activity at the main Indian nuclear missile silos. Analysis of the images showed conclusive proof that India was fueling and arming it's ballistic missiles. The US administration, whilst technically neutral in the conflict, did not want an atomic exchange on the Indian subcontinent. The US ambassador to India relayed a message to the Indian government indicating that they would be very displeased with a nuclear attack on Pakistan. The Indian government replied that it would use it's own weapons how it wished. When the US heard this, the administration made a decision that ended up saving countless millions of lives.
At 2:17am, August 27th, the Indian Prime Minister was woken to be informed that an "unknown attacker" had completly devestated India's nuclear arsonal. Repeated radar sweeps of the skies could find no trace of the attackers, nor could any sign of a ground force be located. Incredulous, the Indian government was then even more surprised when one of its' satallites showed that Pakistan's silos and storage bunkers had also been destroyed. Stunned, both governments paused for a few days to reassess their situation. On August 31st the Indian Prime Minister sent a request for a cease fire to the Pakistani Premier. It was immediatly accepted. Over the following weeks each side withdrew their forces back to pre-war positions and an uneasy peace settled over the two countries. There was a sence on both sides of knowing just how close they had come to total annihilation.
To today, India and Pakistan have remained at peace. Neither side has rebuilt their nuclear weapons, and under a treaty due to be signed later this year neither side will ever again possess them. The war's human costs were, for the scale of the conflict, fairly low: India's total casualties were around 349,000 whilst Pakistan suffered over 197,000 dead or wounded. Apart from the actual sites of the conflict both countries remained mainly intact, due in most part to the lack of major air activity. India still faces problems with it's massive population, but it is slowly solving itself. Advances in crop genetics in particular have yeilded greater crops yeilds per square metre, and this has gone a long way to solving India, and to a lesser extent China's population levels.
And I don't really know much about South America so this ends here <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> Thanks for the good feedback guys <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Well written, again <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Shame about Africa - surely the Commonwealth would have done something.
Either way, good stuff.
A cloned Bill Gates? Well I say!
Of course my own opinion may be utter crap in the future, but this is what I believe will happen, both good and bad.
Setting of the world in 2050
By 2050, the world's population would have reached 10 billion people and rising. Generally speaking, the more populated countries will start to suffer with food. Food prices will rise quite a bit in cities. As a result, jobs will pay higher to compensate, and the cost of living in highly populated cities will shoot through the roof.
<b>USA</b>
USA will be no more in 2050. It will have merged with Canada and Europe as states in a bigger union. USA will no longer have a president, but a "governor" which pretty much does the same job. This new country called "Eura" will be bound by the same "Euro" currency, and a single leader to rule all the states, whose job evolved from being UN leader.
<b>China/Japan</b>
China and Japan would form a powerful union and would form the big superpower in 2050. Shortly following would be Eura. Population will be a big problem in China and Japan in 2050 and they will encourage imperialistic behavior sending people to take over and colonize various places in the phillipines and Korea and even Russia. The areas surrounding China and Japan will always be fighting a losing battle with the expansion of China and Japan. China and Japan will still encourage athiesm.
<b>Various other countries</b>
The other countries in Africa will be weak and poor, save from the portions industrialized by Eura and China/Japan union. There will be a fierce cold war between the two superpowers, and the target of interest is anything that isn't a superpower already. In 2030, most other countries start to depend on the superpowers for food and such, and are allowed to do so if they join the union. Both superpowers make this promise, and so the race is on between both to colonize the existing "neutral" non-superpower countries.
<b>Other</b>
Both countries would have armies of very elite hackers to destoy points of interest or access points of information in each other's government systems. So warfare would evolve from strongholds and combat to security and hacking. Of course, neither superpower would admit to the other they have such an army, but they would both have one, and the hacking would be done entirely annonymously. It will be the "spytech" of the future. Resources will be a serious issue in 2050, and so oil fields in antarctica won't be uncommon to find.
That's my theory anyway.
Well written, again <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Indeed. I wonder what the "unknown attacker"... Perhaps an experimental advanced orbital weapons platform that just got its first taste of real action? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
Of course my own opinion may be utter crap in the future, but this is what I believe will happen, both good and bad.
Setting of the world in 2050
By 2050, the world's population would have reached 10 billion people and rising. Generally speaking, the more populated countries will start to suffer with food. Food prices will rise quite a bit in cities. As a result, jobs will pay higher to compensate, and the cost of living in highly populated cities will shoot through the roof.
<b>USA</b>
USA will be no more in 2050. It will have merged with Canada and Europe as states in a bigger union. USA will no longer have a president, but a "governor" which pretty much does the same job. This new country called "Eura" will be bound by the same "Euro" currency, and a single leader to rule all the states, whose job evolved from being UN leader.
<b>China/Japan</b>
China and Japan would form a powerful union and would form the big superpower in 2050. Shortly following would be Eura. Population will be a big problem in China and Japan in 2050 and they will encourage imperialistic behavior sending people to take over and colonize various places in the phillipines and Korea and even Russia. The areas surrounding China and Japan will always be fighting a losing battle with the expansion of China and Japan. China and Japan will still encourage athiesm.
<b>Various other countries</b>
The other countries in Africa will be weak and poor, save from the portions industrialized by Eura and China/Japan union. There will be a fierce cold war between the two superpowers, and the target of interest is anything that isn't a superpower already. In 2030, most other countries start to depend on the superpowers for food and such, and are allowed to do so if they join the union. Both superpowers make this promise, and so the race is on between both to colonize the existing "neutral" non-superpower countries.
<b>Other</b>
Both countries would have armies of very elite hackers to destoy points of interest or access points of information in each other's government systems. So warfare would evolve from strongholds and combat to security and hacking. Of course, neither superpower would admit to the other they have such an army, but they would both have one, and the hacking would be done entirely annonymously. It will be the "spytech" of the future. Resources will be a serious issue in 2050, and so oil fields in antarctica won't be uncommon to find.
That's my theory anyway. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sounds suspiciously like 1984's sort of world, with all the countries coming together and all that.
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
todays super comptuers being used to design faster supercomputers and someday soon we will ahve the ability to recreate physical models and brute-force trial and error the design for efficient fusion reactors or agricultural sectors in minutes. the world would be revolutionized out of humanity's archaic and warlike ways.
the uniteddevices project used about a million PC's to design the anthrax vaccine in only three months. now imagine in five years when our comptuers are three times as fast as they are now. i say in fourty years we could discover and design anything and everything nearly instantaneously.
and that would have a pretty friggin big impact on society.
You know how there is the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Mechanical Age, Communications Age (what we are in now)?
Call me a dreamer, but I believe I know the next age.
According to quantum mechanics, it is possible to make a single particle vanish and reappear in a completely different area of space. This particle is not even as complex as an atom, nonetheless, it is teleportation all the same. So imagine in 10 years if they were successful teleportating an atom. In 20 years, they were successful teleportating microorganisms. In 30 years, they were successful teleportating inanimate objects. And finally, in the year 2050, they were capable of teleportating humans. Imagine the impact this would make on technology. Being able to "solidify" energy into matter and vice versa.
Planes will be like trains are today.. obsolete. You could go to teleports and transport to any location on the planet using satellites. You could do online shopping instantaneous! Transporting to the moon would be a simple step forward, then to other mars, then to other galaxies. Teleportation will define a new era.
By the way, if marines have the technology to teleport weapons/ammunition/builidngs from thin air, why the hell didn't they just teleport a nuke on top of the hives? Probably because there wouldn't be an NS game I guess. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Historically speaking, most super powers lasted a lot longer than 70-80 years, so I doubt the USA is going to fade anytime soon. Europe was probably the most powerful in the world for a good 1000 years(at <b>least</b>) before 2 World Wars killed them. Rome was super power status for 650 years, and USA is very young at being the world's super power as of now. It's only been super power for about 70-80 years now(since the end of WWI). Only thing that could rival USA was if something terrible happens to USA.
As for Europe becoming a super power again, it's highly unlikely. No military, and the economy of Europe is only strong when together... not something to boast about if you ask me.
Some part of asia will probably be the next super power, but not for a long time. As long as China continues to act communist, along with North Korea, these countries will never achieve super power status. The only reason Asia could be strong though has something to do with having 2/3's the world's population in it. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
hmm
Altho Rome enjoyed long status as a superpower, it was not the only superpower.
Also Europe before 1400-1500 was not particularly capable. And then later only b/c of their long reach. Even if they had extremely armored cavalry they would not have much numbers or versatility, assuming they could actually plant those knights across the world. The only thing to fear would probably be their longbows. Of course they can hold their own in those times but nothing like superpower status. Again, only longbows, which existed elsewhere in the world but I dunno if other countries had dedicated troops for them as England had, to the point of extreme body deformity. Then gunpowder, THEN really ships, and ships + gunpowder + safe at home = the win and superpower status, collectively.
Yes, Communism = the lose.
A side issue, Rome did last pretty long and is definitely a first rate power but I take issue when people say OMGz0rs they could kill everybody I bet up until gunpowder or that wow Rome started as a village. Yeah well everyone starts as a village, dumasses. And obviously they could not kill everybody <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo-->
btw, anybody ever play the Fallout series? Fallout 1 and 2 I highly recommend. They have dated graphics and slow starts but look past that. They are on my all time favorite series list, along with Natural-Selection (and Natural-Selection *2*, of course <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> System Shock, etc)
Don't know whether to be insulted or not <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> Nah I know you ment it in a nice way, I've just found that Clancy has gone really really biased. I stopped reading the Bear and the Dragon in disgust when I couldn't take the rabid anti-Chinese views.
Africa is heading towards a scenario like the one I described. AIDs is completly rampant across Africa and already nations are talking about 80% infection rates of their people. Unless someone develops a cure very quickly, in the next few decades most of Africa is going to virtually vanish. It's a sobering thought.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Even if they had extremely armored cavalry they would not have much numbers or versatility, assuming they could actually plant those knights across the world. The only thing to fear would probably be their longbows.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The two times Europe butted heads with the Mongols they got hammered. European power in the 14th and 15th century wasn't much to write home about. What did happen in Europe was that the technological inovations they recieved from Asia and the Islamic world were used to much greater effect. Hence, although gunpowder was invented in China, it was used much more extensively and to greater effect by both Europe and the Islamic world. If you compare the massive Chinese treasure junks of the 15th century to Columbus' pathetic ships, you really get a feel for just how far ahead China was (we're talking 400ft long vessals with their hulls divided into individual watertight compartments, they grew their own fruit on board to avoid sickness, crews in the hundreds.). Of course, China ended up destroying all it's shipyards for political reasons whilst Columbus was turned down 4 times before he was allowed to sail. Hence Europe's political fragmentation worked in it's favour, whereas in China the decision of one man changed China from a potentially dominiant sea-power into an inward looking isolationist country.
Don't know whether to be insulted or not <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> Nah I know you ment it in a nice way, I've just found that Clancy has gone really really biased. I stopped reading the Bear and the Dragon in disgust when I couldn't take the rabid anti-Chinese views. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
It was just the first writer that does 'that kind of things' that came to my mind.
And the Hunt for Red October still pwns <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Africa is heading towards a scenario like the one I described. AIDs is completly rampant across Africa and already nations are talking about 80% infection rates of their people. Unless someone develops a cure very quickly, in the next few decades most of Africa is going to virtually vanish. It's a sobering thought.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, like you said before, it's kind of blessing for some people. Is it better to have thousands of people dying and borning in to poverty every day, or millions of people to die in 'one blow' so the next generations don't have to suffer?
As harsh as it sounds, I'd say the second option is better.
And the Hunt for Red October still pwns <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Oh no doubt <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> Book pwned the movie, even if Sean Connery didn't have a Russian accent
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Well, like you said before, it's kind of blessing for some people. Is it better to have thousands of people dying and borning in to poverty every day, or millions of people to die in 'one blow' so the next generations don't have to suffer?
As harsh as it sounds, I'd say the second option is better. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I have to agree with you on that one. Obviously intentionally causing such a singular blow would be unthinkable, but if it does happen, and given Africa's AIDs situation it is heading that way, then it may represent a very draconian solution to Africa's problems of overpopulation and poverty. If Africa's population is decimated by AIDs, then perhaps a brighter future will emerge. On the other hand maybe Africa can solve it's problems whilst keeping it's current levels of population, but I have very strong doubts about that. China or India can solve their population problems because there exists a single centralised government in each country which can institute measures to curb the growth of their population, such as education in contraception or the "one-child policy". Africa has no such centralised control; much of the population remains uneducated, ignorant of the risks of STDs and through a combination of poverty and tradition, large families are still the norm. This amalgamation of factors, coupled with the rampant growth of desert regions and a disease as deadly as AIDs spells almost certain doom for many of Africa's inhabitants. Either through disease or starvation, Africa's population will in the near future drastically fall. This may help the people of the continent; it may not. Suffice to say no solution exists now or in the forseeable future that would prevent Africa's collapse.