by Turboguy » Mon 25 Jun 2007, 13:11:29
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hat is why you wait for the energy "carpet", so to speak, to be ripped out from the US's "feet". THEN if you're smart, you'll find like-minded collaborators (face it, who, apart from a few 1st world countries wouldn' t like a shot at destroying the global police officer?).
Even if, for argument's sake, there's zero oil, it's just not worth the risk attempting to attack another nuclear power, particularly if the attack victim is the US, or its assets.
If the oil carpet were ripped out from under the US's feet, and oil prices skyrocket, all the other powers are going to be far too busy eyeing each other, making sure they don't try something stupid, than to attack any US asset. In particular Russia and China will probably have an instant military race. Russia will gobble up all the Balkan states it used to own, and those states will probably be happy to be gobbled up too as it's far better to suffer under the thumb of the Russians, than it is to suffer under the foot of China.
Now, let's just for argument's sake say that the coming oil collapse sompletely obliterates the US. I'm talking about the US completely devolving into a complete civil war and is no longer any kind of military threat. Who's going to be stupid enough to go fight there? Particularly when only afirst world power would be able to pull it off? China? Nope. They'll be too busy making mean faces at Russia for ratcheting up their oil prices and building up their military to stop any and all Chinese aggression. Russia? Nope. They'll be *WAY* too busy making sure that the Chinese don't try a damn thing. The EU? HAHA! The EU right now can't even decide whether or not they want to take a collective piss, much less pick a pot to piss in! Further they just wouldn't have the stomach to come over to the US and get the hell shot out of them by US civilians. Now in the event the US was gone, China would waste right around fifteen minutes deciding to invade Taiwan.
Now a second rate power might want to try, but again they're going to have their own situations they're going to want to deal with before looking at the US. If the US went down into a civil war, Japan would instantly bring out a fast paced nuclear program to defend itself from their ancient enemy, the Chinese, as well as to provide a major deterrent to the North Koreans.
Now the Middle East would be a very interesting place to watch. Israel, without the US's leash, and further without the assured protection of the US military, would be instantly attacked by just about every Arab nation in the area. Their counteratack would be terrible to behold! They'd put a nuclear weapon on every major Muslim city. Baghdad, Tehran, Mecca, Cairo... glass factories. This would further a major downward slide as now there isn't only an oil shortage, you can't get to most of the rest of it as it's a radioactive pit. This would further the rivalry between China and Russia as Russia would still have some viable oil resources and the Chinese would desperately want them.
India and Pakistan already have beef with each other over Kashmir and have been engaged in an arms race for how long now? If Pakistan saw India looking to try anything they'd launch nukes, and the same is true for the Indians.
Quite a bit of South America would be very interesting! Some states, like Brazil, have totally independant energy systems. I think it could be the rise of South America as a major world power, though who would be at the helm is a good question. Brazil is an obvious choice. Venezuela possibly another, though I don't know if the Brazillian people would want to have anything to do with that idiot Chavez.
Don't get me wrong, I'm almost positive that someone might want to make a major mistake and do something stupid in regards to the US, but who would want to mess with a wounded dog? Further there's really no natural resources in the US that are worth the risk.