WWIII?

Given the global situation, I sometimes wonder whether we are looking at a looming WWIII. And I'm not referring to just the current recession, which is undoubtedly a contributor to population pressures. However, while there may be a buildup to another global war, it still takes a trigger to set everything off so it may yet be averted no matter how gloomy the situation gets.

Besides the population pressures from a global recession, there are the international tensions that seem to be building up here and there. Tensions in the Middle East (Iran, Israel, Iraq, Palestine), Russia's aggressiveness against Georgia, the shift in power between China and the USA, political unrest in some parts of Southeast Asia, India and Pakistan's constant rivalry can all become contributing factors to a global war when allies are drawn into a conflict.

While there is a low probability of a war right in the middle of this particular recession (assuming it doesn't develop into a Depression), there is also the matter of Obama apparently trying to appease all sides at once. From a humanitarian standpoint, that is a highly desirable thing, and sure beats unpleasant favoritism whereby people are made to suffer at the whims of someone who doesn't agree with them. Historically, however, it is often these peacekeepers who ironically wind up supporting certain undesirable elements by not clamping down hard on them. Hopefully, the peaceable stance they're taking at the moment will rub off on the others, otherwise this could just be the beginning of a buildup towards WWIII.