is a third world war looming?

Sadly, yes. No one talks about how Iran and Hezbollah are in good graces.

Iran has said that they will shut down the Strait of Hormuz if they are attacked. 40% of the world's oil passes through that strait. OPEC would eagerly raise the price of oil by far more than that, probably to upwards of $200 a barrel. You think the economy is bad now, what until you see what happens if/when oil goes that high.

And it's inevitable that something like this happens. All the Middle East knows is fighting; it's been that way over there since the beginning of time. Israel, Iran, the Saudis, the Palestinians, they're all the same. They are bound together by a simmering fire that is ripe to burn out of control.

The Middle East is long overdue for a world war, and we're not ready for it. And don't think the U.S. wouldn't be dragged into it; both the U.S. and China have declared that oil is absolutely essential to their economies. If we can't get our oil, we will be forced to declare war on Saudi Arabia and take our oil by force. And that's the best case scenario. Worst case scenario in such a war is that we're attacked again in a replay of 9/11.

Notice that I didn't even mention nuclear weapons. World War III without nuclear weapons would be a disaster. But a world war with nukes would be truly catastrophic. But make no mistake, they are, as Barack Obama put it, a "game-changer."

Feel free to throw up.

Forget Afghanistan, it is more a counter-insurgency operation than a war. Any escalation in the region will be entirely of a guerilla war of attrition by the Taliban and their supporters.

The aquasition of nuclear weapons by Iran will affect the balance of power in the middle east, but this has been shifting eastwards anyway for some time. There is little incentive for global powers (U.S. Russia, China E.U. ) to get directly involved militarily at the moment. Future wars are likely to be very different to the type envisaged during the western standoff with the former USSR!

I think it is. After WW2 we have had a few close calls (like the Suez Crisis and the Berlin Blockade in the Cold War). There's more tension between countries at the moment so anything could trigger it. But if leaders think of what could happen if there is another World War with todays weapons, I think all leaders would try to avoid it.

A third world war is always looming. It would be naive to think that for the rest of eternity the world will live comfortably in peace. Will it happen soon? I believe in the next 50 years, yes.

I doubt it would become a world war, perhaps the U.N will step in and will end up something like the DMZ between N. Korea and South with Armies all on stanby at the border.

It's not the finacial crisis but the crisis on bare minimuns - water etc etc.

Yes there will be loads of wars in Africa etc based upon the over population.

Hopefully not a third world war but I will not rule it out.

There will always be another war looming as long as humans are alive on this planet.

When i observe any cloud,even thinking about having a 'loom',I reach for me brolly.

It will be - whether it is sooner or later - it will be. Directly in answer - yes, the circumstances of the world would perhaps suggest this.

Hopefully not in our lifetimes. History repeats itself though. (The world recession is an example of this)