Peter:

Thanks for your kind invitation. In my opinion, recent emergence of bipolar/tripolar world power, 3rd WW with nuclear capabilities is a remote possibility. However, local conflicts, sometimes of severe nature, would continue to haunt mankind world over and one has to learn to live with it. Sophisticated arms would be manufactured, sold and used by powerful nations and yet some sparks of peace and harmony would continue to be observed in localized areas among chaos and destruction. 

Best

Syed

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

"World War 3

The Planned World War 3 - A Play in Numerous Acts

World War Three in Brief

A Three World War scenario was developed several decades ago (see Conspiratorial History). Two World Wars have already been completed, and the Third and final World War envisions an attack on one or more of the nations in the Middle East including Iraq, Iran and/or Syria. This attack will serve as the trigger to set the entire Middle East into fiery conflagration. Once America is firmly entrenched in the Middle East with the majority of first-line units, North Korea will attack South Korea. Then, with America's forces stretched well beyond the limit, China is to invade Taiwan. This will usher in the true start of World War Three.

Current events are playing out the planned scenario a few years later than planned (the election of Obama temporarily delayed the plan). Today we are seeing increasing state and non-state aggression throughout the world. State actors include Russia, China, North Korea, the United States, Iran, and others. Russia is preparing its citizens for nuclear war. It has even gone so far as to call it's citizens located abroad back to Russia. Iran, armed with a renewed confidence stemming in part from the United States funding its operations with $1.4 Billion USD in cash, is flexing its muscle throughout the Middle East. China is asserting claims over land it has created in the South China Sea. The world is wuickly moving towards World War 3.

World War Definition:

What constitutes a 'world war'? How many countries need to be involved? And who decides at which point a number of regional skirmishes can be grouped together and called a World War? At the time, who called the official start of World War 1 and World War 2?

Have you noticed that although the term 'World War Three' is freely used in the alternative press and on the Internet, all the major news networks have stoically avoided using any phrase reminiscent of World War. 

Since it's difficult to find a definition for an event which has only happened twice in modern history, here's my attempt at an answer to the question 'what constitutes a world war'?

A World War is a military conflict spanning more than 2 continents, in which at least 20 major countries participate in an attack against a common enemy, and which has the attention of the man-in-the-street due to the significant loss of life."....

Please, press on the link to read the rest of the article......

http://www.threeworldwars.com/world-war-3/ww3.htm

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

"Here's how World War Three could start tomorrow

PW Singer  and August Cole

9 SEPTEMBER 2015

There is an old adage that militaries set themselves up for failure by preparing to fight the last war. When it comes to 21st Century warfare, the problem however may not be with looking back, but that we aren’t looking back far enough.

For the last two decades, leaders in London and Washington have become focused on operations in places like Sierra Leona, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Syria, where the worry was, and is, weak and imploding states.

But bigger trends are at play globally. We are seeing the return of great power politics – and with it, the risk of powerful states going to war.

Conflict with the likes of Russia or China was something that seemed buried with the end of the Cold War. Yet today’s simmering tensions mean there is a risk of such an outcome becoming all too real.

As in the past, it is perfectly possible that a third world war could start with a small event, or even by accident.

One of the many Russian bomber planes now probing NATO’s borders could collide with an RAF Typhoon, prompting an aerial skirmish the likes of which the world has not seen for decades.

Indeed, the skies over Syria are starting to get dangerously crowded, with Russian jets flying near US planes on bombing runs, and sparring with NATO air defenses in neighboring Turkey.

Perhaps it could happen at sea, when a Japanese or American ship scrapes paint with its Chinese Navy counterpart amid the reefs in the Pacific that are being militarised as part of Asia’s current arms race."....

Please, press on the link to read the rest of the article......

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/14/heres-how-world-war-three-could-start-tomorrow/

Sir, my humble submission and personal view of situation is grim. I fully agree that we are in a state of war. In my country we have been at war for 66 years. My father experienced displacement from present our neighboring country. I have see the scars even today on him. 

My opinion is strong in rhe subject. Refugees are debated. Sometimes refused. But what about people and events leading to it.

We definitely in a war. May be in parts. Sum total. A big yes. 

Only Solutions is education.  We need to educate people. The education must have values. Basic values. One idea could to use the same routes used by war mongers. Economincs, culture even religion.

 We can see a revolt of sort happening across globe by the so called common citizen. That in my view is the sign. Change for good is sure. Education can speed it up more.

I haven't thought about the happening of the World War III because this is the era of solving international problems by negotiations. However, there are views that the World War III has already begun. See for example the following link:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/world-war-iii-has-begun/5521720

Thank you for sharing. I agree with you. I also think that we are in the middle of third world war since Nine Eleven, under the present circumstances. Logic must prevail. There is space for all in our planet. Otherwise, there is a possibility, space, without humanity, to be the miserable reality.

Regards   

Dear Artur,

I do not know if it is the wrong knob? If people who follow the best educated leaders are better educated they wont follow them. What do think about that?

Peter

I agree with Syed that sophisticated arms would be manufactured, sold and used by powerful nations and yet some sparks of peace and harmony would continue to be observed in localized areas among chaos and destruction. 

Well said Prof Syed

Reason, against all appearances, doe snot repeat itself. The emergence, the very forms and structures, and the languages, etc. for an occasional III WW will never be the same as in WW I and WW II.

I am an optimist, and I do not see clear traces of a so-calle 3rd WW. There are, indeed, many local conflicts and local wars. Certainly the situation in Syria is too serious to underestimate it. It is true that the IS is a real challenge, f.i. But great powers such as Chin,a Russia or the U:S: - not to mention the NATO (= Europe) seem to focus right now on other issues. The very concept of "enemy" has been nearly banned.

History is a non-linear process: not everything looks smooth and glowing. Still, we are in the best moment of the western civilization.

Are we already in the middle of 3rd world war or at least close before?

Based on the current trend of global political & technological development, danger of World War 3 is eminent but we should give saturated / comprehensive dialogues a chance before resorting to war.  Human beings already experienced two world wars, are we learning from our mistakes?

Dear Peter,

Spatially talking, there is no chance to get through an international war or III War.

All politics is local and will remain local despite the fact that we get in a globalized period.

The real question is what to do with the huge amount of printed money that has no one value  (figure). There is the real problem.  This is a problem for the countries that thought to control the global system.

Few exemples:

France debt : 2 170,6 milliards € 2016, Dette de la France du PIB (GDP) : 98,4%

USA federal government: 19.000 billion $ according to Washington Times –2016

http://www.businessbourse.com/2016/02/04/la-dette-des-etats-unis-a-depasse-les-19-000-milliards-de-dollars/

If, we focus on the Global debt in real numbers for each country – and NOT the illusionary Nbs of % of GDP- we will see that Japan, USA, Germany and France occupy more than the 2/3 of the international debt globally (Billons $ see figure) and to cover this debt they printed money. Just printed papers.

If, we add also the private debt of the banking system then the Nbs are huge. This is the problem. Imagine Deutsch bank to close doors next week.  

Would be better to have an III war so to save banking system?

I am sure the answer will be NOT.

Yes, indeed, dear Vassilis. Wars are luxuries for the elites, the industrial-military enterprise, and the states, after all. And the world cannot afford such a luxury nowadays. The crisis is too serious; so serious that a 3rd WW is too much expensive to go into. Austerity is the fancy word of the day.

Dear Carlos, Yes the fancy word is Austerity and control.

PS; The values in figure are in euros not $. Sorry.

Dear Sir,

Thanks for your kind invitation.

Nobody can predict the future.  Nobody can even venture the wildest guess as to what will happen beyond the very empirically demonstrated scientific phenomena (i.e.: the Sun will come up tomorrow).  Nobody knows.  Stop worrying about it.

lot of people have mentioned the Cold War here as a sign that a third world war could not start. I would dispute that to a degree, because I think the cause is what we need to identify. I'll expand, using the key points above. I will write a little on each:

That is the kind of "thing" that prevents WWIII.  There is too much money to be made through stability.  All of the people fretting about telling you that the world is going to end are idiots.

During the Cold War (and following WWII) heavy-handed nationalism was reigned in to a large degree in European countries. However, the struggle between the USA and the USSR developed fervent feelings of "good vs bad", "east vs west", "left vs right" etc. These feelings have matured, and while the Berlin wall has come down, American and Russian sentiment on a strong national front has been a constant (the existence of Fox News is testament to the fact that nationalism is rife in the US; Putin wrestling bears ditto). Throw in Britain under Margaret Thatcher and the new breed of Imperialism that this inspired in the UK (see UKIP) and the similar increase in Nationalist parties being elected across the EU. Add a dash of sudden economic might in China and belligerent nationalism in the middle-east (Israel, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, "ISIS"),

One of the worst creations of the world has been the nation-state. As soon as it was created it produced its best offsprings, namely, WW I, WW II, the wars of Vietnam and Korea, and many others here and there. A world without nation-states is both desirable and necessary.

Dear Dr Eyerer,

Is knowledge worth anything when the basics are violated ????

I fortunately have never lived in a tense society all my life and the uncertainty of living is a the most feared situation (I just can't imagine) and I feel world problems come to a standstill ... 

I too feel helpless and at times agitated when I see the repercussions .

In all optimism I still hope that we are not on a brink of world war. We do not let UN go waste...

When Nuclear sources of energy (for consumers) and green revolution is happening , I am sure there are people who can in their power find a solution . Again it is the battle of power , price paid by all, especially those who put (civilians) lives at stake...

Dear Sir, we not in the middle of 3rd world war or Its close. No chance of world war. If two countries fight, then no any country to be part in the fight. Its reason is now world day by day completely covering in education and educated nations only wanting love and peace always. Now animal thinking is not remain. Every one know well what happen after war. Now days countries are in competition for happy and development. I can say with 100% confidence that 0% chance of world war.

Dear Shah, I agree with you. However, let's not remember that in politics there is never 100% guaranties. 100% versus 0% becomes absolutism. Let's just be cautious and optimist about this.

Dear Peter,

I find no chance of World War III due to following reasons

(1) Devastating costs: A World War III is likely to deteriorate into nuclear conflict; the initial aggressor being subjected to almost total destruction. There is no way to 'win'.

(2) Lack of capacity: Compared to the global empires of the early 1900's, most countries have vastly limited war making capacity. For example, France had about 5 million troops at the start of World War II, and had only about 350,000 in 2012. Our capacity has shrunk because war makes less sense in modern times. 

(3) Insufficient motivation: The few nations with the power to instigate a war have no political will to do so. See how unpopular the US/UK governments became after their relatively meagre invasion of Iraq. Even semi-despots like Putin would struggle to incite their populace to war.

The world has changed irrevocably after World War II and the Cold War. Future battles between countries are likely geographically contained and increasingly economical.

Dear Artur,

high education of Mr. Trump??

Due to conflicts among nations for various reasons and emergence of terrorist groups, various parts of the world are facing war-like situation.  However, they are all civil wars, terror groups, rebellions, and other internal matters. This doesn’t make one feel that we are at the brink of another world war. With the advent of nuclear weapons, a war between the major super powers of the world would most likely see a nuclear exchange that would significantly damage lives on the planet and cause release of massive amounts of radiation and devastating consequences. If one side loses the other side will also not be a gainer. The world is now so interconnected that conventional war for territory like before is just not necessary and economic power is enough to bring a country to it's knees. Therefore, there are reasons to believe that we are not close to yet another World War (WW-III).

Dears,  You can observe oxygen for my answer from description of Dr. Dilip Kumar Kundu, he added well in this discussion.

Of course, we are in the midst of World War III. Cynicism, hypocrisy, money and short-term interests of political and armaments 'thugs' - cause that there is no, in the near future, a reasonable, peaceful alternative to the world. No one knows where it will us all lead !!

We are close before a possible war between Russia and United States, that can begin in the scenario of Syria.

 World is unipolar with USA in commanding position. Syrian War has caused avoidable loss of life due to intransigence of USA and Russia. USA supported ISIS against Assad and then Russia came to support Assad. What a tragedy?

Dear Peter, I agree with you and your concern. But, let me ask in which war a scientist had any say. We can only mobilize opinion and impress our students and fellow scientist about consequences of 3rd war.

I believe and hope that we'll never get to the 3rd world war because it could be the last. Since the end of World War the superpowers (atomic) have begun to make themselves directly (in the first person)  the Cold War and through a third party many wars (local) warm practically all over the world (Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America , Central America, Europe). These terrible local wars are a "safety valve" as the pressure cookers valve. Why so many local wars? New weapons to be tested, energy interests, economic interests, lobby to pleased, domestic issues (see the case of Ackers of these days) etc.. How to solve the problem? Greater UN power, creating greater cohesion between the states, such as the EU, more diplomacy. How to combat the seed of terrorism? More education for everyone especially for the poor. What to do for the refugees? Save all at sea or where needed. To welcome those who run away from the war, by totalitarian regimes, starvation or whatever endangers their lives. Work to ensure that those who flee from hunger must not escape. How long will it take? I do not know if it will take ten, a hundred or a thousand years, but I know it must be done before of that will be the last world war.

Dear Peter, please see

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2634.1605

2015-09-07 T 19:39:48 UTC

So I am afraid that this will ever happen. The question is when? This year? In a year? After 10 years? 100 years later? I estimate somewhere between 11 and 95 years.

Yours,

Vladimir

Dear All,

I think Vassilis and Carlos had seemingly or really logical views on the present situation. There are many sided simultaneous crises in economy, life style and philosophy, religion, demography, virtual reality etc. The role of false and pseudo or controlled information hugely increased.  

In such an information ruled world not the physical destruction matters but how to control the minds.  Brave new world.

Nearby.

Dear, very close to it!

There was never really a 2nd World War the conflict that engulfed the World in 1939 was a continuation of the hostilities that were temporarily stayed by armistice in November 1918.  

I agree with the contributers above that education has had no ameliorating effect on warlike desires.  The worst wars in history were not started by the illiterate and uneducated but by the well educated elite.

I think despite our education and learning man has two sides or as the Indians of America believe two wolves inside us one good and one evil. It is how we treat these two wolves is what is important if we continue to feed evil then we are indeed moving ever nearer to world war 3. However if we feed the good wolf well enough perhaps this 3 world war can be averted. However greed and power seem to be the rule of the day and the virtues of live kindness humility and caring for each other are long forgotten and material wealth becomes the crown men desire now we wait to see which superpower will dictate our fate and wonder where did it all go wrong. Perhaps if we had listened to God and to that wise old Indian speak about these two wolves we would not be where we are now. How can we protect refugees when we don't know how to first protect ourselves.

Bernhardt Rust was Hitler's minister of education, science and culture. He was one key element for the nazi mindset. However, we cannot blame him for Hitler's decisions about going to the war.

Education can foster und publicize certain ideas and states-of-minds. But it can not deliver or impeach a war. That belongs to other space.

There is no and can not be any 3rd world war.  The current trend in the international arena where there are new alignments and realignments might not allow for that. the idea of collective interest has greatly lost relevance and what is obtained is selfish interest pursued by each country through the alignments and realignments.  So the question is , who are the parties in the envisaged 3rd world war?

Good point, dear Kayode. Just for the sake of the discussion it would be nice pumping up some parties engaged in the eventual 3rd WW. Of course Peter's invitation doe snot have to dig that deep. Yet, a good justification of the question would open up the door to naming those parties.

Traveling long time ago through Germany , I never forget following writing , siselt intou a  church's wall : translated like Thad " if you can not trust your brother , war is coming up "

It may be that no 3rd World War could happen in the sense of those brought about by clumsy and unworkable alliances in the 20th century but a cataclysmic exchange is not altogther impossible with the proliferation of WMD.

My country is nuclear armed and however unlikely it is that the UK would lauch a nuclear attack it is certainly capable.  One salvo from a ballistic missile submarine could easily inflict casualties on a WW2 scale within hours rather than years.  If such missiles were targetted on population centres the causalties would be in the millions and the material devastation, while not on the scale of WW2 would be unprecedented.

We can be optimistic that having survived the most dangerous times that WW3 is much less of a threat to humanity than some of our other endeavours.

On the education issue, look at the most dangerous event in all MAD history.  Operation Able Archer 1983.  The architects of that 'exercise' were very well educated indeed.

Do states actually make war?

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Do_states_make_war_or_does_war_make_states

Danke, Peter. No, I would hope not!!

World wars are (historically) fought among the superpowers (or at least, the most technologically advanced powers) of the day, using the most advanced weapons and tactics of the day. As of WW II, it seems almost inconceivable that a world war could be waged, let alone survived by any significant number of people the planet.

In a sense, I think we are spoiled. Spoiled by the way the major powers have been able to live in relatively peaceful circumstances for so many decades, following WW II. On the other hand, the human race has never been able to live in complete peace and harmony, and perhaps this is what we are experiencing.

This, combined with the lunacy of suicidal people, of course. That may be the only real difference today.

Dear Peter Eyerer

I think we are close to the Third World War, we are in a period that clinicians (like me) describe as "clinical disease stage pre" if we consider that a world war is the equivalent of a disease that can kill destroy all humanity and our planet.

That evidence (Prodromos) we have:

• Wars and battles in the Middle East
• The generalization of the terrorist acts to North America and Europe, from the Middle East.
• The justification for the US to make "preventive war" in Iraq and Afghanistan, after the attack on the twin towers and the Pentagon
• The growing antagonism between the blocks led by the United States vs Russia.
• The balkanization of the countries that formerly belonged to the Soviet Union and now apparently are independent and are located in the region known as "Eastern Europe"

Greetings to all

Jose Luis

Estimado Peter Eyerer

Me parece que estamos cerca de la Tercer Guerra Mundial, estamos en un período que los médicos clínicos (como yo) calificamos de "fase pre clínica de una enfermedad", si consideramos que una guerra mundial es el equivalente a una enfermedad que puede matar a toda la humanidad y destruir nuestro planeta.

Que indicios (Pródromos) tenemos:

• Las guerras y batallas en Medio Oriente
• La generalización de los actos terroristas hacia Norte América y Europa, provenientes del Oriente Medio.
• La justificación de Estados Unidos de hacer la "Guerra Preventiva" a Irak y Afganistán, después del ataque a las torres gemelas y el pentágono
• La animadversión creciente entre los bloques de países comandados por Estados Unidos vs Rusia.
• La balcanización de los países que antes pertenecían a la URSS y ahora aparentemente son independientes y están localizados en la región conocida como "Europa Oriental"

Saludos a todos

José Luis

I think what Peter was proposing about education was to include PEACE in the school / university curriculum. Which courses outline the benefits of peace versus wars, suicide bombers and conflicts? Surely none today. Daily news are largely about conflicts, bombs and TV/ movies in the evening with more bombs, guns and violence: In fact, a world war in the making! The weapons / gun manufacturers seam to have the upper hand.

Need to expose all weapons people and give them green machines to manufacture instead!

Better to concentrat on peace and negate the rest.

Dear Peter,

The neo-management strategy dictates that hegemonizing the world should not be the way it was in 19th and 20th centuries. One way is to divide the world into  smaller segments, then do whatever is beneficial to some particular countries. In so-called developed nations (mostly western lands), look themselves up and look the rest down. For instance, the American mentality considers the US as the world, and the rest of the nations as their courtyard! With this definition, the world is a small skirmish at the courtyard, just like some naughty boys playing games in there ! BUT, in a standard framework of the world structure consisting of all the nations, the WW-III, is already started, of course by elite countries supporting so-called "good terrorists" fighting against and wiping out so-called "bad terrorists"!! Whatever jotted down here is not an opinion, but the real events imposed on people with the unfortunate fate.  

Resp. Prof. Eyerer,

A new world order is expected from the great powers!

Now world can't afford third world war.

Dear Peter,

Yes, we are on the verge of 3rd world war because this time flashing point is not in Europe, but in the Middle East.

Dear Peter Schaefer,

What is your present experience: Can you trust your brother, parents and children?

I am allowed to say that war is/begins by a state-of-mind? If we firmly believe we are in the midst of a war - then there is no doubt we will go into that war. I repeat: Berharndt Rust did know a lot about this!

Dear Peter, by more and more opening of the Backgrounds of historical Facts we can see more than before, that wars are decided by a few and done by others. It is very difficult to judge what is favourable for those few... 

and if with the new medias their effect is still the same powerful as before....

War is already underway.. some regions have good old war.. the rest has economical war, fighting with money bills.  a global war in media.. media has become a weapon, directly as propaganda, indirectly as money source.  Education as a fundamental role, it will decide on how powerful this new media weapon can be.

A good thing is that the central banks war as gone into nowhere. The power has been shifting from rich to the intelligents.  Intelligent is a difficult thing to assess. Japan is intelligent, in that they still do resist to the globalisation pressures. They have been hit hard, but I hope they keep relying on their lessons they learned badly 50 years ago.

Germany has taken a good step forward to reset geopolitical issues with their green energy installations. We are moving away of the oil governements.

May the US are on the edge of being reintegrated to the 'normals' when they will realise that their politics is no politics anymore but a 'hollywood'/facebook virtual media show.

But it is all about education.

I fell ashamed for what has been happening the last 10 years. A lot of dangerous things has happened which are not favourable for education. All this police rights for observing whatever you do, this media/communication control is unsane.

Hope we will get out of it before it is too late and propangada wins. (we are lucky enough to see that US election show, and see how far this system can go 'downwards').

I bet on the Britains, and on EU to reset the errors of last decades. As the feared money wars run into nowhere, it is time to give back the the power to the sane judgement of people (democracy).

It is going to be hard times,and we will have to give back a lot of our wellness here in europe (social costs we will not be able to afford no more). But at the end a lot more peaceful life is at sight.

We scientist, have to continue analyse and explain the world. Find out the benefits of religion,  explain how democracy (intelligent one) can profit to everyone. Better would be to find out the organistional model of societies. Explains the benefits of sharing, and continue this sharing which is essential for all of us. Education.

Lukas

Two world wars claimed tens of millions of lives, and the Cold War that followed shaped everything from geopolitics to sports. But at the start of the 21st century, we are facing a Third World War against humanity in the form of global terrorism and military confrontation involving millions of victims.  Since modern nation-states acting aggressively in militarized competition, future conflicts between nation states will be extremely lethal and fast. Tension between the two super powers that remain at levels of the Cold War, terrorist attacks and the danger posed by nuclear proliferation concerns, including the recent North Korean nuclear test, seem to be the main factors influencing ever present fear of WW-III. There is a need to acknowledge the real trends in motion and the real risks that loom and to take mutual steps by nations to avoid the mistakes that could create such an epic fail of deterrence and diplomacy.

Dear Carlos,

So, each of us should change the state of mind and to be prepared to peace. Agree?

Just to relax from the atrocities imposed by the fear, real and virtual, a question to Peter and to dear RGs: “Who will be the enemy during this plausible III War?”

I hope that I will be welcome everywhere, as a simple citizen, and same will be true for all the RGs.  You are all welcome at my home in Greece. There is place for everyone.

So, who WE are going to attack during this III war?

PS:

1)  I think it is important to realize that WE are the world and WE should decide for our destinies.

2) The real problem is this media flux concerning these real and virtual atrocities, which is based on an international corruption, and the corruption is based on money with no one value and we need to solve this problem peacefully through the UN. The colonization period is over.

This is my opinion. Democracy at the global level is our only choice to continue to exist.

Dear Vassilis,

the enemies leading to WW3 are

- egoism of single persons ----> corruption

- egoism of states ---> nationalism

- fanatism ---> terrorism

- lack of tolerance ----> rassism

- the huge gap between rich and poor

and as a concequence

- no respect of life

-heating up our earth and misusing its treasures

Overall: misuse of science f.e.atomic weapons, too much money for weapons due to egoistic selling them,

and the inefficiency of UN security council

3 WW can happen when some of these points come to gether.

Peter

-

It's true that the world has changed a lot to have another world war of the previous kinds. Then, what will be the nature of the next world war?

Are wars inevitable in the evolution of human social survival?

In my view, wars are inevitable in the evolution of human race to peaceful coexistence and sustainability.

In the history, Sri Budha was the first  person (or society) who realized the non-sense of a war.

Of course, it was at the end of a war he (they) realized the damage of it brought to the world and then proclaimed 'Ahimsa' as the religion for future survival!

Even before that, in India, in the epic of 'Mahabharata' one can see a different message of 'Karma', which means dutiful acts irrespective of whether the acts include wars, are important to human survival

Lord Krishna declared that wars are inevitable and what cannot be cured must be endured!

Very late, Jesus declared a war free world, but convinced humans the reason to focus always the war going on internally against good and bad!

Yes, all kinds of wars may continue; nobody knows how long they will continue?

Wars will continue in the world till there is no conflict of good and bad in the minds of individuals.

So long as  a conflict of good and bad is retained in the minds of people, wars are inevitable!

What can avoid the conflict in human mind on good and bad?

I believe, the conviction of truth alone will avoid the conflict; but the question is whether science or religion is capable of instilling the conviction of truth in human minds!

Of course, both have been trying the same since time immemorial? I believe both is capable of doing the same to a certain extend!

Therefore, it is not important whether wars will happen or not!

We students of science should focus more on the truth of peace.

We should think how to bring peace and safety to own self, our places, in the minds of all people, in our state and in the world! 

Although it seems that we are separate individuals who die out after certain periods of time, but bioscience teach us that we are really part of one infinity!

No wars can eliminate us from this universe so long as we are a continuity

Unless and until we permit ourselves to get defeated, no wars can defeat us!

Then, why should we worry about wars?

Dear Joseph George Ray, 

I very much appreciated your reflection!

Dear Peter,

I agree with you on “the enemies” but that means that this enemy is me and you and our dear RGs from Iraq or Syria or France or elsewhere.  So, the question comes always to the citizen.

Critical will be to think that we should be aware that staying immobile waiting for the “leader” to decide is not very intelligent.  

There is a very nice Greek song from Manos Loizos “ Ο Δρόμος” the street, every street has his own history. Democracy is a real 4D question.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQcwVl1RuL8

Dear Vasilis,

yes in a democracy we the citizens are decisive. If we do not vote 50,1 % of let me say 35 % decide the Brexit f.e. So education plays an enormous role at the long term.

With an dictator in front it is different of course. But education also plays an important role. Look at Turkey. Most people follow the front man. Or look to Germany 75 years ago. Much worse!! manipulated education. Terrible!

Peter

Dear Vassilis,

I think and hope that each of us agree with you. I do agree. Yes, we should decide on our fate. The real problem is not the media flux. The real problem is that most people are incapable to think and decide independently. The real problem is the lack of democracy and knowledge (education).  

Dear Peter,

I agree with your detailed list of enemies of peace and life.  I think this list can be shortened: lack of tolerance, altruism as well as the ability to logically thinking.  

dear András,

exactly that´s the point!!! But not easy to change. One key factor is the willingness of the state to educate the students for teacher independent. And the teachers of the teachers should be open minded and not intolerant. Then after 2 or 3 generations we will earn success. I am talking about Europe. In other regions we need much longer. This is not arrogant, I am afraid it is realistic. But all the other enemies, see above, wont wait so long! Sounds unsolvable. Or in other words: we are in the middle of WW3.

Peter

According to faith of Muslims, a war that is called the mother of wars will occur on earth. 

Dear András and Peter,

I agree that education is a real problem but we cannot wait to be all educated so to advance. That is impossible. Also, we need - the people that are educated to make a personal judgment, what is going wrong?

To my opinion the problem comes from the fact that Western civilization is still mentally in middle ages.

They think that Crusades still exist and the word belongs to them. This has pushed the rest of the world in very unpleasant situation.  In order to have the control they pushed globally to establish corrupted political systems allover and this system is auto-reactive.  

So, this system is a Gordian Knot. We need likely a new Alexander the Great or the people to cut this Gordian knot. I am sorry to say but it is really ridiculous to discuss for an III war because the elites and funding global system are not going well. Let’s cut the knot!

It is ridiculous to die because the finances are suffering!!

Dear András, that's not a minor issue, is it? I do not pretend to say that this is "the" solution", though.

 Dear Peter, thanks for the invitation. I am here for learning, given that basically I am a pacifist. For me war is the fruit of human stupidity, not of his intelligence. Even if I understand that not all persons can be Bob Dylan, Leon Tolstói or Mahatma Gandhi, I believe in human heart and that that peace in the world will be inevitable. Let’s try to give our little contribution. Mother Teresa: “Peace begins with a smile…”

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/peace

dear Antonio,

thank you for your comment and opinion.

I like it.

Peter

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

Has World War III Already Started?

At the height of the Cold War the possibility of a Third World War was a real and frightening possibility. Pentagon strategists gamed possible conflict scenarios and how they might evolve, think tanks opined on optimal force structures and strategic deployments. Novelists mined the topic for countless thrillers. Professional historians wrote “contra-factual histories” of how the war had played out and its ultimate consequences.

With the end of the Cold War the prospect of a Third World War seemed to recede from the playbook of potential conflicts. Arm chair strategists speculated about possible U.S.-China conflicts or even a limited U.S.-Russian clash over Eastern Europe and the former Soviet States. The novelist Tom Clancy even postulated a Sino-Russian war that would see the U.S. intervene on behalf of Russia, Moscow joining NATO, and culminating in a rogue nuclear missile attack launched by Beijing against the United States. A bit farfetched given the current state of American relations with Russia. I guess that’s why they call it fiction.".....

Please, see the link....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-v-micallef/has-world-war-iii-already_b_8647588.html

The United Kingdom has been in a 'World War' for over 150 years.  British troops have been in action all over the world almost non stop since The Crimean War of the 1850's.

A clear example of the legacy of imperialism.

The situation  in the world today is not different from what  is obtained  more than three decades ago.There can not be a colossal war as we had in the first and second world war. It is also a fact that the world might not achieve that kind of universal peace envisaged. 

Also, there is no any relationship between education and war. The sophisticated arms and other weapons of warfare were manufactured by the so-called educated or developed countries and  the so-called highly illiterate and underdeveloped countries, especially in Africa are beneficiaries of the arms and weapons. Therefore, there might not be an end to these skimmings, but it might not degenerate into a third world war.

. Please see  the links below

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Can_the_entire_world_experience_peace_and_development_at_the_same_time

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Can_the_United_Nation_OrganisationUNO_guarantee_peace_in_the_world_Is_the_institution_still_relevant_considering_the_situation_in_Syria

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_the_alternative_to_war

Thanks Peter for invitation. For the answer for this question I  don't think this is the right platform as many views cannot be shared. For me being an Indian I think it is always the war like situation in those days. Since so many years we are facing the problem of terrariosms. Now this has become more global since twin towers or Paris attack. For the sake of extreme political decisions the countries in the world decide in groups . Some times it may be for better development of the nation. But, at the end we have two groups and the remaining nations are dragged in these groups for the sake of support. And finally we land up in a situation of war. Since years together we see the army in different countries . So in my view , yes definitely we are in 3rd war stage. The balance still maintained but, can shift any moment. 

"If the Final Hour comes while you have a palm-cutting in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it."

Dear Peter,

You are asking important questions which we should share and think of together. Third war would be the end of life on earth. Thanks to God that responsibility is individual and we will not be judged for others who are responsible for the coming mass destruction. Letting it out with sincere good hearted people like you and many others on RG lessens our responsibility. Spread of unfairness, poverty, cruelty in many places added to going away from sky values are important signs. Most important sign is the very disturbed relations between parents and children. In spite of that we should not lose hope to the last moment trying to do good deeds and to be as positive as we can.

My best regards,

I think that what Vassilis Doucas talk (on page 9) about printed money is very important. We have to think of economics and our current banking system as a cause of our worldwide disturbance and lack of peace. Banking system is an important global root cause. What are the practical steps to change it to a better economical system?

There are few people getting too much money without doing any thing. The majority are working too much and getting money papers which buy either nothing or little.

Dear Peter,

You have mentioned the 11th of September. I think the link below is relevant:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgGUAbNYqT4

My best regards,

The war threat is all over the globe. Where countries are suffering from fear of ISIS attacks that take place anytime and anywhere without prior warning, nations are threatened with each other’s change in mood that can cause another world war to hit the globe in the future. Chaos is still spreading around the world. Even those areas which are still relatively peaceful appear to be uneasy and the local media in many areas continues to warn and promote a fear of chaos and terror. The Media continues to hype fear in the homeland.

According to media reports, the world seems to have settled into a period of perpetual uneasiness and anxiety. See the threads-

http://www.australianetworknews.com/world-war-3-update-vladimir-putin-starts-preparation-ww3-launches-largest-military-operations/

http://www.australianetworknews.com/world-war-3-update-all-nations-preparing-secretly/

It seems these days the world is literally on fire. Conflict continues on and off in Ukraine, there are tensions throughout the Asia-Pacific, Ebola is on the rampage, ISIS continues its bloody war of attrition throughout Syria, into Iraq and on and on. Yet, could something even worse be on the horizon—a conflict with more-severe global ramifications?

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/5-places-where-world-war-three-could-break-out-11487

Dear all,

I thank you very heartily for answering so much and intensively.  Please continue.

I plan to try to summerize. I need a free day . It is almost unique to get so manny different intelligent answers back from you. We can not ignor them and turn to the next question. I want to make more out of your answers. I do not know if I will manage it, but I will try it. Very wellcome if somebody will help me. The first important step is to develop a useful content as a red line. The rest is beeing busy.

Please do not upvote now. First I/we?? want to show you essentials!!

Manny regards 

Peter

According to the classical doctrine on war , say from the 1980s or 1990s, the superpowers were able to have/go into nearly two and a half wars. This means, global wars. This was assumed based on the military engines both the USA and URSS/Rusia had.

In rough calculus this means that, even taking into account the global financial crises, that number could be down easily to two global wars (...). Now, that capacity can easily be splitter into a number of global wars and conflicts. The EU does play th same game, of course.

Dear all

Above all answers from different prospective on the important question are very great. We are discussing the question for recognizing a war in the contemporary era, preventing a war, stopping a war or against a war.

In my personal perception, the main purpose of a war is wealth and benefit. At present era, following science and technology developing, economy globalizing there are a lot of ways plundering other’s wealth in the world. So we will rethink what is Third World War? Is there any difference between Second World War and Third World War? In addition to arms,currency, media, internet, gene- technique… so many weapons.

If Third World War is already underway？How about the view on Syria War? How many countries participating in the war up and down the table? Maybe more than 20 countries. What’s the battling area of a today's war ? Who are manipulating a war?

dear Chun,

thank you for sending questions which lead to  contents points for our summery.

Go on :)

Peter

Hello Peter,

Briefly, I fully agree with your statement. Yes, we are at the foreplay of WWIII.

Both previous WWs started in similar manner: Convinced warmongers testing their future opponents with threats of full-scale aggression. Hitler did it by occupying pre-Trianon lands and invading my country and Wilhelm II by inciting Franz Joseph to declare war on Serbia.

Since history does not repeats itself exactly the same way but men commit the same errors repeatedly, now we have the same tactics being used by AlQaeda and ISIS, but they are more aggressive and deceitful, by spreading regional terror and once awhile an attack at Western countries.

This, by the way, justifies what you wrote, namely that 9/11 was the beginning of a well conceived long term plan to destroy the West.

Thus, the approach in the three cases is the same: instill fear into the overall populations minds. Public uproar then presses the rulers to negotiate peace at any cost, which may  weaken their governments. As result they will cede, as Chamberlain did, to popular pressures and to the terrorists blackmailing and threats.

What else was the "peace" negotiation with Iran promoted by the American Administration?

You write that you feel helpless and hopeless to change anything. So do I.

Unless a new Churchill will show up at the international scene, the question now is not if there will be a WWIII but WHEN.

All the best

Tom

The concept of World War no longer exists in the sense it did in 1914 and 1939.  It is not possible to mobilise huge armies in the face of concentrated surveilance, not to mention battle tactics have changed out of all recognition since WW2.

Therefore it is extremely unlikley that we will ever see the conflagrations of the 20th century repeated.  Hegemony today is not acheived by military might and could not be, it is done by controlling resources via global markets.  No one is going to start a war that they could not win.  

We do of course face global threats to peace.  Terrorism is with us for the foressable future and talk of war on terror is futile, the best we can do is contain such activity because we cannot prevent it totally.

We have still not fully learned the lessons of war and we still use ridiculous uncompromising language when discussing it.  Calling for regime change and unconditional surrender always leads to disaster.  Why is a despot going to surrender to an oponent who threatens to kill them anyway.