Well, it looks like the Bigger Dick Foreign Policy theory is going to be tested soon, and I'm sure other threads will pop up regarding the new war in Iraq. But I can't help but take a look at things now and see more long-term trends/problems in recent events.

What I see now, more than I've ever seen (and I'm only 26, so I can't say I've seen that much), is a lot of shifting alliances throughout the world. Countries which used to have one mind on most issues now regularly have public disagreement. Alliances which used to be strong are now being reevaluated, and in some cases, abandoned.

Since we have a rather diverse, International user base here, I thought I'd solicit opinions on what factors might be contributing to these changes in alliances and diplomatic relations. I don't see the current situation between the U.S. and Iraq as the sole cause, I see it more as "the straw that's broken the camel's back" than anything else. In my mind, there must have been some previous circumstances and trends which have been contributing towards these shifts, and I'm at a loss as to what those might be. I figure there are probably some cultural factors, some domestic political factors, and, almost certainly, some economic factors. I just don't know what they would be, because I have enough trouble following what's going on across the street, much less across the globe.

Anyway, I would hope that this thread doesn't turn into another debate for/against the war on Iraq, I think we all have our own opinions there. I'd like to try to keep the focus here on what sequence of events led to a situation in which such a division in world opinion could take place. So... any thoughts?