As published in The Daily Examiner News Website and based on the Christian Voice New Zealand podcast: The Unthinkable
It’s hard for the typical New Zealand citizen to imagine that the country’s Defence Forces might be required to participate in a military conflict before the year is over.
The United States might need to lean on its military allies as China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran eagerly anticipate challenging the world’s most powerful military.
For many Christians as these events unfold may recall the words of Jesus Christ from the Bible, warning that in the last days, there would be wars and rumours of wars.
This year and more so now as 2024 draws to a close, we have reached a moment in history that none of us will forget.
As the world stands on the brink of four major conflicts, we are standing on the precipice of the unthinkable.
Horrific wars have a way of erupting when most people are not expecting them.
Hardly anyone expected a global war to erupt in 1914, but then tens of millions died over the next four years.
Hardly anyone expected a global war to erupt in 1939, but once again tens of millions died over the next six years.
This time around, what is happening should be glaringly obvious to everyone.
If the nations currently beating the drums of war do not change course, not tens of millions but billions could die during the nightmarish global wars that are rapidly approaching.
Since the end of World War II in 1945, the prospect of another global conflict has loomed, yet the nations have been reluctant to tread the path again.
Since the end of World War II in 1945, the prospect of another global conflict has loomed, yet nations were reluctant to tread that path again. Now, that reluctance has vanished as the drums of war grow louder each day, causing major concerns across the United States.
There’s no longer an eagerness, only an obligation for the US to engage in conflict, and indications are they soon will be.
China continues to flex its muscles in the South China Sea, right in front of the US fleet stationed off the coast of Taiwan. Speculation is rampant that an invasion by Chinese forces is imminent.
President Xi Jinping, recently seen in military fatigues, has emboldened his troops to prepare for war.
Chinese analysts believe that the directive from Xi to “strengthen their preparedness for war” signals that a strike in Taiwan is likely. This could lead to a direct confrontation between the United States and China.
The conflict in Europe remains ongoing, with Russian forces, bolstered by reinforcements from North Korea, continuing their attempts to reclaim control over Ukraine.
In response, Western leaders, spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron, are considering the deployment of NATO troops to assist Ukrainian forces.
If this decision is implemented, the United States, as a treaty partner, would be obliged to deploy its own troops, entangling the nation in yet another conflict.
The recent tensions between North Korea and South Korea are raising alarms in the United States, particularly as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un seeks to demonstrate military strength and has labelled South Korea a “hostile nation.”
Observers in Asia suggest that South Korea’s patience is limited, and if conflict were to erupt, the U.S. would feel compelled to intervene due to its obligations to South Korea.
The situation underscores the ongoing instability in the region and the complexities of international relations involving North Korea.
There is a genuine concern that four major conflicts could overburden the U.S. military, which remains focused on the Middle East, where the situation could rapidly become unmanageable. The prospect of war is inevitable, painting a grim picture for the United States Military, once regarded as the best in the world, now a mere shadow of its former self.
At the AUSA conference in Washington DC last week, General Charles Flynn of the United States Pacific Forces admitted, “the U.S. military is not the overwhelming global force that it once was.”
He emphasized that “Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea have been placing increasing pressure on American military resources.” While other major powers have been fervently preparing for World War III, Flynn concluded, “our military has been rapidly becoming a politically correct joke.”
He warned, “the day of reckoning is upon us, and we’re not ready.”
Concerns regarding New Zealand’s security and potential involvement in a global conflict remain unanswered by the New Zealand Government.
New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister, the Right Honourable Winston Peters, has described the NZ Defence Force as “utterly unprepared,” consistently reminding that “we are no longer safe in our place in the world.”
As a member of the ANZUS alliance, New Zealand is obligated to support its military partners. Consequently, if the United States calls, New Zealand troops could find themselves deployed in any of these conflicts.
The unthinkable may soon become a reality.