Flashpoints 2023

Earlier this year, there was a total focus on the conflict in Ukraine, with daily news reports on the current situation on the ground. For a certain period, it seemed as if there were no other conflicts taking place. However, the world is much bigger than just Europe, and although Europe is part of the grand chessboard, there are other regions that could quickly be destabilized by e.g., Russia, China or Iran. This chart is a rough outline of possible flashpoints that could escalate into something bigger than they are right now. Gaza and Israel are e.g., a tinderbox, but not for the most obvious reasons. The US and Chinese military have assets in the region, making it a volatile region. This indicates that there are heightened risks between skirmishes between Chinese and US forces, either directly or indirectly via proxies.

The map is indicative and only shows flashpoints that could escalate and destabilize a country into an active conflict or even total war. Social undercurrents that are most active in Western nations have not been included in this map.