World of 2026 PART 2

World after 2010:

2010-2014: Even as the world reels from the terrible after-effects of the economic depression of 2009, North Korea firmly put its name in the list of rogue Nuclear powers. In spite of the firm trade embargo placed on them at this point, North Korea signed a plethora of treaties with Iran on a range of matters including a special treaty involving the price of oil sold by Iran to North Korea. Whilst most of the countries in the UN strongly condemned of this, even dubbing it the ‘Axis Of Evil’, pre-emptive military action against Iran was veteoed by the SC. This deviation from the so-called juche policy of North Korea is also associated with renewed trade contacts, including unconfirmed rumors of trade of Nuclear fuel for defense research.

While the economic pace slows, emerging economies continue to grow.
Governments tend to focus almost exclusively on problems with a clear historical precedence and incapable of finding creative solutions to newer problems (e.g., climate change, global terrorism). Short-term, temporary solutions to problems requiring a long-term commitment are ineffective. Lack of global leadership only worsens conditions. Traditional international institutions are weakened by the diffusion of state power and new powers challenge the status quo. Global economy is weakened and nations are unable to manage security and environmental challenges.

Japan launched its first fully self-made satellite Hitokiri-I in 2013. It took the world by a storm with the secrecy of the whole space mission raising several questions. Japan insists that its space mission is for scientific purposes only.

The dream of the G-20s(Emerging
economies, like Mexico, Brazil, India and China) fades and
global insecurity increases (e.g., natural resource
and ethnic conflicts, Middle East arms race, etc.). Fidel Castro passes away after prolonged illness in 2014, and Kim Sung-Il dies in a supposed assassination attempt, blamed on a South Korean right-wing extremist group. His successor, the hitherto unknown Kim Sung Kao, places the full might of his army at the borders and threatens nuclear war unless an unconditional extradition of all the members of the group is done. South Korea refuses and asks for US help. Four nuclear submarines and two battleship are deployed all within missile range of Pyongyang. This attempt at Gunship Diplomacy fails as china supports the North Korean government and deploys its own submarines. After 46 days of a complete stalemate, both sides decide to withdraw the Nuclear warheads.

2015-2026:

2016: Hugo Chavez dies after a prolonged rare blood disease. His death brings the end to an era of Leftist dominance in South America. The prolonged struggle for power after his death basically paves the path for Brazil to take its place as the biggest player in the region. Venezuela however still commands the biggest army of the region and also the second biggest economy.

2017: In a shock election result, the Communist Party of Iraq sweeps into power with a two-thirds majority. The new government blames the continued insurgency and terrorism on shadow-play by the USA. While it did condemn the USA, they kept all previous relations with the developing nations intact. The following 5 years is characterized by a remarkable alacrity in the diplomatic policies of the government as it signs a series of treaties aimed mostly at isolating arch-rival Iran and neutralizing Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

2018: Experts in Saudi Arabia claim that the remaining amount of oil in the reserves of the country are hardly enough for the country to sustain itself for ten more years. As oil prices escalate world-wide, large scale riots break out. Osama Bin Laden makes a public appearance in one such huge gathering, showing Al-Qaeda links to the whole movement. In an unrelated incident, police start firing on an unarmed procession protesting the continued presence of the Western Oil Companies in Saudi Arabia. The movement reaches a whole new fever pitch with anti-Shah groups all demanding the ousting of the royal family. A coup is carried out by a faction in the army two months into the movement. The whole Royal Family is massacred and all USA passport holders are given 48 hours to evacuate Saudi or risk being shot. Power is transferred to General Al-Nassiri, who cuts off all Western links but nevertheless keeps Osama banished, showing a Franco-like tendency. In spite of the oil trade still happening, the power is now shifted to the Arabs, who sign a joint pact with the newly communist Iraq and Libya in a bid to control oil prices. Much of this money is supposedly going to the newly revived nuclear program of Iraq.

2016: Germany and Israel withdraw from the NPT, creating a huge furor in the UN. Both the countries claim that the clauses of the NPT are draconian in the new energy world order and new research must be done to meet future needs and further security.

2017: India, Germany and Japan launch satellite Uno, which is declared to have covert capabilities within hours of a successful launch.

2017: Unrest in Xinjiang and Tibet. Extreme pro-democracy riots take place all over China.

2017: Government and rebel organization Zapatista Army of National Liberation meet in historic summit in Chihuahua province in Mexico. Talks fail miserably midway and the iconic rebel leader, Subcomandante Marcos, is caught and executed within an hour. However, within a few days the Marcos appears on national television and reveals the person executed to be a double. He also expresses wishes to rejoin the political mainstream.