How close is the world to World War III? Some people are now talking about how close the human race is to escape velocity for a continuous cycle of violence. Many say we're almost there.

The escalation of attacks have caused reciprocal responses, which lead to more attacks and more anger, which in turn leads to more reprisals. Will there ever be peace in the Middle East? Will the Middle Eastern conflicts drawing in the rest of world.

As we see the violence continue and wars and develop we see many a nations with interests in selling arms or trading with countries on both sides. All these countries have a stake in who wins or loses. In the end all mankind has a stake in what happens as well.

When one country does business with another country and in that country is at war it hurts the economic prosperity of both. It also causes countries to pick sides in conflicts, which should not be going on in the first place. Or should they some say?

It appears that the unique characteristics of mankind include warring against his own species. Throughout written recorded history humans have attacked their neighboring civilizations and killed senselessly. Sometimes out of greed, sometimes simply because they can and often to enslave.