[Cannoneer No. 4]

In the year 2020 a Middle East dictator attacked and occupied an oil-rich neighboring state.

We may have won the War On Terror by 2020. I hope we have. There shouldn't be any aggressive dictators in the Middle East by 2020. Just some benevolent despots in the Gulf.

Oil probably won't be near as valuable then as it is now.

The whole concept of the nation-state is beginning to unravel in much of the world. Most of the boundaries in the Middle East were drawn up in London and Paris. The people on one side of the line are pretty much like the people on the other, until you get to Iran. I would expect by 2020 an Arab Union, much along the lines of the EU, uniting the entire Arabian Peninsula plus Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.

[expatpat]

I would expect by 2020 an Arab Union, much along the lines of the EU, uniting the entire Arabian Peninsula plus Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.

Excuse me while I laugh, pointing out that they have been trying to do this since the 1950's at least. They are too undisciplined and irrational to be able to do it.

[Valin]

Have no fear my friend there will be some scumbag somewhere who need a does of reality.

Until the return of the king(the real one) there is always going to be bad guys.
If history teaches us anything, it's that there will always be war, it's what we do.

[xzins]

The 5+5 Union around the Mediterranean basin bears some promise of being what you're thinking of. It already exists....but it's Euro-Meds and Arab-Meds combined.