"The Grand Dilemma: What Is the Most Dangerous Threat ..." Topic

…to America?.

"In formulating its defense policy, the United States has to face four separate security challenges simultaneously: China, Russia, Iran, and Sunni jihadism. This is very different from the Cold War era when, although America faced security problems in many parts of the globe, there was one overarching challenge that it confronted throughout the world: the Soviet Union.

The Soviet threat during the Cold War was undoubtedly much greater than any of the four threats that America now faces. The Soviet Union was a global threat, while Russia, China, Iran, and Sunni jihadists are mainly regional threats. Nevertheless, dealing with four separate threats is much more complicated than dealing with just one.

The Cold War, of course, was not simple, and the "Soviet threat" was complicated because it did not just emanate from Moscow alone, but from numerous governments and revolutionary movements allied to it. But however much the challenges these posed emanated from local or regional causes, their linkage (real or imagined) with the Soviet Union was what made them the focus of Washington's attention. Further, while the Soviet-American dimension of so many of the conflicts that took place during the Cold War meant that all of them had the potential for escalation, it also meant that Washington and Moscow had a strong incentive to negotiate with each other directly in order to limit them. Moreover, both superpowers could prevent escalation by reining in its allies in these local and regional conflicts…"
Full article here
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"From ISIS and Iran, to China and Russia, which threat should America focus on?…"

My vote goes for ISIS.
Yours?

Amicalement
Armand

Other than perhaps the odd, occasional attack, ISIS is probably 4th.

The one that really worries me is Iran getting nukes, due to their death-cult beliefs, and desire to bring on an apocalypse. Given their penchant for using proxies in their wars, I wouldn't put it past them to give various jihadi groups nuclear weapons, and/or to use their own.

Russia and China are the biggest threats by far, militarily, especially if they team up against the USA, and/or the West. Hopefully, they are a little more sane, though both countries have threatened to nuke Europe, and America, from time to time.

Quite frankly, given Iran's links to both countries, it wouldn't be surprised to see all three band together against us.

Theres no threat to america for gods sake! Some countries may limit american interests in their own locale, some may threaten american client states – those are completely off the scale different things than threatening america itself.

Possibly in some hollywood tea party alternate universe the next 40 biggest defence spenders could all get in huff with the US, ditch their own differences and gang up on the big kid.
Possibly Kylie Minogue and Kate Upton could turn up at my door covered in baby oil and carrying my euromillions winning lottery prize in a giant golden wheelbarrow, but neither of those scenarios is very likely.

Though I will continue to dream…

I dunno, those Canadians can be pretty sneeky – don't be fooled by all that politeness and apologising, they're like a coiled spring up there.

Mark my words, just as soon as the place thaws out, those Mounties will be mobilising……

Threats

1st – China, buying the states or winning the economic war (Isn't that how the US won the first cold war?)
2nd – Russia, Putin doing something stupid to stay in power
3rd – Iran, the fanatics doing something stupid before the moderate evolution is complete (Less capability for carnage than russia but same motivation, distract people from what a crappy ass government they are.)
4th – ISIS, most likely, least capable of doing real damage.

I thought it was made clear by the Administration … Global Warming … Even the Pope thinks so … so it must be true, yes ?

1) America itself through profligate military and other spending.
2) A Eurasian Bloc which is economically and militarily strong enough to resist American hegemony.
3) China and Africa could trigger a resource war involving the US..
4) Russia underminingEastern Europe which could draw the US into a European war that escalates.
5) Iran making and using or farming out to non-state actors, nuclear weapons or components.
6) Mexico badly destabilized leading to attempted mass migrations perhaps by force.
7) The Grand Duchy of Fenwick.
8) Canada going green and refusing to produce gas/oil for US markets.

Cheers and good gaming.
Rod Robertson.

"Theres no threat to america for gods sake"!

Apparently, you are unaware of all the current hacking, or the fact that a single EMP burst could shut down half or most of America's electrical grid (since our leaders and electrical companies have done nothing to harden it).

Yea, nothing to worry about, just tens of millions, or hundreds of millions of deaths/casualties from lack of food, proper running water and sanitation, rioting, etc., since we won't be able to recover from that for years.

Never mind the leaders and generals who are aware of this vulnerability, since what do they know?

They're just experts in their fields of expertise.

According to recent political analysis, I am.

From a military stand point:
Iran – when they get nukes, they'll use them.
China – economic/cyber war can be just a devastating as a shooting war.
ISIS – not them directly, but they could cause a lot of chaos by destabilizing the whole region and causing flare ups in other areas.
Russia – the drive to stay in power can cause some dumb decisions, on all sides.

Looking at history, I'd have to say the answer is "economists".

Our government.

My money is on the Supreme Court unfortunately…sigh.

I don't currently see any existential threat to the USA. And reports of the USA's decline are IMO greatly exaggerated, or at least somewhat premature.

But there are certainly threats our there, and some that could do terrible damage to the USA and its people. The greatest of these IMO, would be a WMD attack on a city by a non-state group. Fortunately, this is harder than Hollywood makes it out to be, but the possibility exists.

Nuclear proliferation has seen nuclear weapons spread from superpowers, to great powers, and now to tin-pot dictatorships. It is not inconceivable that nukes spread to non-state entities in the decades ahead. And if that happens, an attack on a major population centre becomes a real possibility. Even a dirty bomb would be devastating.

I tend to agree with you Whatisitgood4atwork … If the US had to, it still has the assets to what has to be done. Both on and off the battlefield … However, many would die … mostly the enemy …

Coopman … dude!. (smile)

I vote for ISIS because of near/posible terrorist attacks on US soil.

Amicalement
Armand

Yea, ISIS is most likely the most near-term threat, but I suspect their attacks will be much smaller than what the others can pull off, should they wish to.

There are FBI warnings going out, to the public today, to be vigilant during the upcoming 4th of July celebrations, due to home-grown nut-jobs, and the coinciding Ramadan holiday period (especially given yesterday's attacks in three locations).

Try Lee Ho Fook's …

1. China: Although the interconnected nature of the American and Chinese economies make a shooting war highly unlikely, China is a growing economic powerhouse which may eventually overtake the US and whose leadership made it no secret that it intends to dismantle the US-dominated world economic order.

2. Russia: Russia has the same ambitions as "The Middle Kingdom" vis-a-vis the United States, at least in the case of her current leader Vladimir Putin, but lacks the economic wherewithal to pull it off without "allying" with China, which is fooling no one given their own differences and ambitions. But still, her ability to create havoc in her own "near abroad" cannot be questioned.

3. Iran: Even though Iran becoming a member of the "Nuclear Club" may be inevitable, I am not entirely convinced that she is crazy or suicidal enough to nuke Israel just because she "can," notwithstanding her rhetoric and fiery proclamations. If we are to believe them, Kim Jong-Un would have nuked Seoul many times by now and in turn brought ruin to his own beloved "Hermit Kingdom."

4. ISIS: Never before has a non-threat been so heavily hyped and exaggerated. They can create all kinds of havoc in Iraq and Syria, but so what? We can easily ignore them (which is the best policy, btw) and life goes on as usual. Iraq and Syria don't even warrant as peripheral American interests, much less core ones. Don't give in to their propaganda and overreact because we're playing right into their hands by giving them legitimacy and helping them recruit more people to their cause. After all, they're fighting against the "Big Bad United States" and everone loves an underdog.

@Kyote: No worries, it still fits here!

As far as existential threats to America go, I can't think of any.

Smaller-scale threats, though, we have a LOT of those.

What did it say in that old Pogo comic strip ? "We have met the enemy … and dey is us ! "

Pretty much agree with what has been said about the USA posing the worst threat to itself. Lack of real education. Lack of wisdom. Increase in all areas toward self gratification, diversion and hedonism, etc. "leave me alone and let me !", seems to be the prevailing addiction. If that continues to grow we are cooked. It is only a matter of how long it takes….