What wars will we be in?

[Cthulhu]

So if a person were to join the service today, what wars could they count on being involved in? What countries would be involved? What would the mission be? Where will the US war machine turn its malevolent eye to next in say...the next 10 years? What would be the motivation for the key players?

[Ethereal]

One thing is for sure, the wars will become increasingly murky and convoluted.

[Dr. Who]

So if a person were to join the service today, what wars could they count on being involved in? What countries would be involved? What would the mission be? Where will the US war machine turn its malevolent eye to next in say...the next 10 years? What would be the motivation for the key players?

I think that the ME will remain the focus until oil is no longer a factor in terms of energy resources. After that, who knows?

[Ethereal]

I think that the ME will remain the focus until oil is no longer a factor in terms of energy resources. After that, who knows?

Africa is also becoming a focal point for the corporate-driven military interventions, mostly due to mineral resources which will be needed for advanced electronic and industrial systems.

[Cthulhu]

I think that the ME will remain the focus until oil is no longer a factor in terms of energy resources. After that, who knows?

What sorts of things can the USA milk out of Ukraine or the south american countries? Central America has gobs of oil down there, yet we're not giving them 'freedom'. Oil from Venezuela comes to mind.

[Ethereal]

What sorts of things can the USA milk out of Ukraine...

Oil and natural gas throughput from Russia to Europe.

...or the south american countries? Central America has gobs of oil down there, yet we're not giving them 'freedom'. Oil from Venezuela comes to mind.

We've been expropriating resources from South America for a LONG time.

[Guerilla]

I think Africa is next, they have lots of resources. China has been sending their companies into Africa already. Maybe we will want to compete.

[Dr. Who]

What sorts of things can the USA milk out of Ukraine or the south american countries? Central America has gobs of oil down there, yet we're not giving them 'freedom'. Oil from Venezuela comes to mind.

I think that the run on oil is generally reaching it's useful end. There is so much technology out there that will ultimately displace oil in the next ten years and sufficient North American oil and gas supply in the meantime, that I can't imagine any need to spend trillions of dollars to continue meddling in the ME to ensure supply, let alone starting things in countries that are literally on one's doorstep.

[Ethereal]

I think Africa is next, they have lots of resources. China has been sending their companies into Africa already. Maybe we will want to compete.

The US already has a military presence there which continues to increase in its size and scope. The military intervention in Libya was aimed at keeping Africa economically and politically subjugated by the west.

[Green Arrow]

This is an interesting set of questions. This is my prediction:

So if a person were to join the service today, what wars could they count on being involved in?

Within the next ten years? My guess would be Iran, Syria, Libya, Russia, Venezuela, and Korea. Libya would be our gateway into Africa, Venezuela would be our gateway into South America, taking out Iran and Syria would pretty much hand the Middle East to us on a silver platter, and Russia is practically a foregone conclusion at this point.

With few exceptions, however, none of these will be fought with conventional military force.

What countries would be involved?

I see it being divided in almost World War-esque terms, even if it isn't fought as a world war (because let's face it, it would be fairly one-sided). I think it would be nearly worldwide and I think each front (South America, Africa, Asia, Middle East) would be directly fought by the countries in those regions, with the U.S., Russia, and China essentially guiding it all.

The Coalition:
United States
Europe
Israel
Japan
South Korea
Canada
Mexico
Egypt
Iraq (assuming our blundering incompetence and theirs doesn't completely collapse them in the fight against ISIL)
Equatorial Guinea
Bahrain
Myanmar
Azerbaijan
Ethiopia
Vietnam
Tajikistan
Rwanda
Cambodia
Honduras
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
Kazakhstan
South Sudan
Georgia
Ukraine
Jordan

The Alliance:
Russia
China
North Korea
Iran
Syria
Turkey
Qatar
Yemen
Gaza
Saudi Arabia
Libya
Somalia
Sudan
Kyrgyzstan
Kenya
Pakistan
Afghanistan
South Africa
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Cuba
Venezuela
Colombia
Brazil
Argentina

What would the mission be?

Dominance, in all aspects.

Where will the US war machine turn its malevolent eye to next in say...the next 10 years?

We are already trying to pivot out of the Middle East toward Asia, with Republican leaders like Mitt Romney calling Russia our greatest enemy and strongly opposing China's rise to power. I don't think we can ever truly leave the Middle East, however, so I would say the next ten years will see Iran and North Korea.

What would be the motivation for the key players?

For the United States and our allies, taking down North Korea strengthens one of our few allies in the region, South Korea, and also removes a foothold for China. Taking out Iran takes out Syria, which would essentially leave the Russians and Chinese without a foothold in the Middle East.

For Iran, it means halting and destroying their growing Middle East hegemony.

For North Korea, it means ceasing to exist.

For Russia and China, it it means losing key footholds in Asia and the Middle East.