> As the Twenties, then the Thirties, so now. Stay tuned: will
> 1939 recur, too?
Nope. No systemic wars this time around. It's not just nukes -- i.e. noone would win, except the cockroaches. The real reason is that the global semi-peripheries (BRIC nations and others) are either democracies or have experienced profound economic and political democratization over the past 30 years (e.g. SWFs, developmental states, vibrant media cultures). They have zero incentive to wage stupid self-destructive wars, and every incentive to lend the US the money it needs to bail out its banking sector -- in return for official recognition of multipolarity, a.k.a. globalization for all, instead of the oligarchic few.
As for narrating this moment of world history, I'm searching for metaphors. Maybe "Godzilla Final Wars" comes closest: after a long and terrible struggle, the combined forces of Asiazilla, Bearzilla, and Bolivarzilla are closing in on the alien mothership of neoliberalism, which has wrought such appalling destruction on this planet.
-- DRR