"May you live in Interesting Times" goes the old Chinese curse.
We do, we do.
In the past few months the American government has been negotiating with the right - leaning regimes in new EU member nations Poland and The Czech Republic with the intention of putting "Son of Star Wars" Missile Defence Shields in those countries. In both nations public opinion polls consistently show two thirds of the population are against their nation's involvement in America's world domination plans.
Despite that and despite Russia's warnings that if there is to be an American presence in bordering states it will have to "review its defence strategy" both governments are eager to go ahead. Since the break up of the Soviet Union the EU has benefitted from improving relations with Russia.
America also has plans to put "SoSW" bases in friendly Pacific Rim countries.
Only last week China tested a missile powerful enough to use as a "battering ram" that could take out spy satellites without having to carry a warhead.

In the Middle East a build up of U.S. troops and military hardware puts pressure on Iran but at the same time brings Iran (and Syria and Egypt) closer to China and Russia. Which way India and Pakistan will go is anybody's guess, but you gan bet they will go in opposite directions.

You just have to join up the dots to see the big picture.