"World Instability"

Inch by inch, step by step, national security experts see the risk of nuclear conflict slowly creeping up on the world.

Late last year the Project for Study of the 21st Century (PS21) released a poll of 50 experts from around the globe including:

• leading international relations academics
• former senior military officials
• private sector political risk specialists

"This is the first survey we know of like this," said Peter Apps, executive director at PS21. "There has been plenty of talk of rising tensions with Russia and China in particular, but it's very rare to try and put numbers on that."

So what were the numbers? 52% of the experts believe the risk of a nuclear conflict between great powers would grow over the next 10 years, with 80% expecting proxy confrontations and other forms of "ambiguous warfare" to also increase.

Peter Apps went on to explain: "the aggregate figures show that most major potential for nuclear or conventional wars seem broadly unlikely--but the numbers are still high enough to be worrying. Clearly this is a risk that cannot be entirely discounted."

And now we've got tensions between China and the Philippines escalating dangerously over competing claims in the South China Sea after an international court ruled against Beijing's territorial claims.

China has vowed to ignore the ruling and Beijing's ambassador to the United States warned the decision will "intensify conflict and even confrontation."

Meanwhile, North Korea, under Kim Jong Un, is busy becoming more and more unpredictable. Aggressively arming his nuclear weapons and missile systems, the young Kim is beginning to pose a major threat.

With the added distraction of trying to rein in Russia, Iran, and Syria, the 65 million refugees and protecting our borders (and not to mention the growing threat from terrorism), the next U.S. President will definitely have his/her hands full. 

A wise man once said: " Nobody wants or should even contemplate the use of force. Hopefully the Chinese will come to realize that they have more to lose than to gain from creating a chaotic, lawless situation." -- Paul Reichler, Washington attorney

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains..." Matthew 24:6-8

News:

• Reuters: China Blames United States For Stirring Up Trouble In South China Sea; vows to protect rights
• NBC News: Germany's Open-Arms Refugee Policy Is Taking A Toll; 2.1 million immigrants since last year.
• AP: U.S. Offers Russia New Military Partnership In Syria; dramatic result expected