Something Off Topic

We are at….

RISK

I present you a new game. . It might help to understand what a rational external spectator, let’s call it a “Martian” looking at the Earth, would think about the treats posed to peace and stability around our planet. Who is posing treat to peace in real world.

It is a bit like Risk.

It is made of alliances, and based on what a clash of civilization.

Here are the rules:

Participants:

I considered the national expenses for defense (the real one) of the nations for the last available year. Mostly are based on 2006 or 2007. One, Pakistan, goes back to 2003.

All the 30 biggest spenders have been included.

Some extra players were added for the evil side: Afghanistan, Jordan, Libya, Syria, Cuba, and Yemen.

Groups:

The nations have been organized in 7 groups as follows:

The Very Goods:

USA, UK, Israel.

The almost as Good:

Canada, Australia

The other Goodones:

Some EU member state (only from top 30)

The Evil turned Good:

Saudi Arabia, South Korea

The Party people:

South America (only from to 30)

The free-lance:

Russia, China, Japan, Singapore, India

The Evil:

North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Libya, Syria, Cuba, Yemen, Jordan

Background:

We are in a far distant future in a far distant galaxy. Some people advocate that the Very good and the Evil will clash (hence clash of civilization)

So all the evil dudes form an alliance. So do the good ones.

Let’s imagine Afghanistan and Pakistan turning their back to the USA and allay with Iran. They will then join with North Korea and Cuba for they fight the same enemy. And as a bonus they get also Yemen involved in the fight.

Let’s say that US and strict allies is joined by the EU because they think they rather be with US then the Evil. Well to have an idea of who will win….let’s compare the military expenses of the two groups expressed in dollars.

I guess Good as better chances then evil….

Let’s see a global war. Imagining that EU will stick together. All the evil will do too. As well as US and strict allies.

South America will rise and group together. And the free-lancers….will stand as a group…China allied with Russia, Japan and India….that is going to be tricky!

Also with this type of alliances. Where EU and USA are fighting. Where China, India and Japan are allied. As well as the evil ones (ranging from Cuba to North Korea to Iran)….well looks like USA is going to kick some ass! Latin America still looks out of the game.

In this game we only consider the amount of money spent. No matter how that is spent. Whether it is for the salary of a soldier, for a gun able to kill some people, or for a missile that can kill many people. But the figures are real.

This is really what these nations have spent. Data is on internet.

Just go and check.

To conclude following is the list of military expenditures presented in a table of only the country that are spending at least 1% of USA expenditures….plus North Korea which, for every 100$ spent by USA spends about 99 cents.

One could say that there are tons of other data to consider, how the money is spent, proportion of GDP, number of soldiers, type of weapons, ect. That is for sure, but remember, even though it’s based on real numbers, this is just a game…

Anyway we can really say we are in Go(o)d’s hands.