Chronological Bifurcation Point

Articles like this predict the coming of an age of peace.

I don't get it. He says that countries with a per-capita GDPs greater than $10,000/year don't go to war with each other but isn't Saudi Arabia a primary funding agent of Wahabi Islam? I'm sure their GDP is greater than ours, even if a large percentage of their population does't see their share (other than free medical and education) but this is probably a moot point since their rulers are well above the $10K/year threshold

That might be a good Rule of Thumb for Western nations, but I don't think it applies to Islamic nations.

It might apply to Mexico though. Nevermind that they speak the foreign language of the agressive Western European nation that colonized them about the same time that North America was colonized by other Western European nations, Mexico does seem bent on annexing the Southwest US.

There was a Japanese General that was terrified of the thought of invading the US. He knew what a population of marksmen would do to a foreign army. I strongly suspect that is a lesson that the Mexicans or Azatlans would soon learn. It may just be a part of our history that will shame us in the eyes of the UNified world but be a source of pride for those who defended their nation.

But I wonder if the indigent indigenous peoples of the Southwest would be any happier if they were poor and living in a larger Mexico? To bad that Spain wasn't either stronger or weaker during the colonial period. If Spain had been stronger would Mexico be comparable to Canada and be a stable strong nation on our border, or would a weak Spain had all it's colonial territory been annexed or bough by the US. If this was the case, there'd be 5 or 6 states south of Texas with a developed infrastructure, economy, and 90% of the wealth wouldn't be held by one family (which I think is the true cause of povery in Mexico, but since blaming Mexican's for Mexico's problems isn't politically correct, you probably won't hear it anywhere but in obscure corners).

So here we are, coming into an age that appears to be one of peace and while I hope for peace, I see the building tensions in the Southwest and know the stated intentions of the Muslim world. Like a ball rolling along the top of a ridge, I see the world condition. The ball could as easily roll left as it could right. All it needs is a little nudge one way or the other. Could the world as easily roll into peace as war? There seems to be to many who want to nudge it to war for peace to be likely.

Besides, wouldn't global conflict make the promise of 7 years of peace all the more appealing?