The document discusses several geopolitical issues around the world: 1) In Russia's Far East, the declining Russian population is being replaced by Chinese immigrants, threatening Russia's dominance in the region and strengthening ties between China and Russia. 2) The US-backed Plan Colombia has pushed FARC guerrillas into surrounding countries, exacerbating regional instability and failing to curb drug production in Colombia, the largest source of cocaine and heroin for the US. 3) Countries in Latin America have had varying relationships with the US under the Monroe Doctrine, with Venezuela rejecting US dominance while Colombia maintained close economic and security cooperation. 4) The artificial creation of Iraq by Western powers after WW1 led to

1. The Second world by: Megan Bedford

2. RussiaThe once great and mighty Soviet Union has been greatly damaged by the Cold War.The struggle of power dominance between the West and China fights for Russian alliances. As Chinese immigrants are rushing into Russia’s depopulated far east, only 7 million Russians remain in the area. A massive demographic imbalance of extremely populated China versus the scarce Russian race in the east.This has influenced greater bonds between China and Russia. China is developing the region in ways that Russians never have. This is a threat for the Russians to have the Chinese occupying their land.Will this lead to a smaller Russia and a larger China?

3. colombiaThe war on drugs in Colombia and South America has been going on for years.The United States sponsored, Plan Colombia has pushed the militant-communist Revolutionary armed forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas toward the borers of all the surrounding countries, creating a larger problem, and not stopping the drug production. Colombia is the source of mostly all of the cocaine and half the heroin sold in the United States.

4. Monroe doctrineThe Monroe Doctrine states that America will prevent any foreign power from influencing Latin America, and will intervene at will to protect its interests, and manipulate each nation’s economic affairs.Venezuela had a rejection of American regional dominance.Colombia had friendly relations with the United States, built on common economic and security interests. Brazil had selective cooperation with America

5. IraqAfter World War II, Iraq would not have been it’s own country if Arabs would have been making the map. The region was doomed for controversy before it became a country.As ParagKhanna suggests, America might feel that the country is better off by getting rid of Saddam Hussein, did America really have the power to judge this?ParagKhanna feels that the end of Iraq is a positive thing, especially for the abused Kurds.

6. American EmpireAll great empires eventually fall. For example, Rome, defeated by it’s barbarians and sacked.Is America on the road to failure?Problems with the American Empire:dependency on foreign financingAmerica ranks near the bottom on OECD in average worker income and income inequality.There is becoming a bigger gap between the super rich and the middle class.Will America last for centuries to come?