Has the world’s citizens, as a whole, ever fully contemplated the cause and result of a third world war? Why would another world war begin? What would this war result in? Citizens and world leaders should ponder these questions and prepare for the future. It remains evident that a third world war would arise from the differences evident in cultures and a lack of effective leadership. This war would affect the earth in unimaginable ways.

Primarily, the cause of World War III will stem directly from the differences of the cultural beliefs of countries. The differences of the Christian West and the Islamic Middle East will ignite the world in what will become known as, if anyone survives, the most brutal war fought on earth. Radical Islamic followers will stop at nothing to bring to bear their hatred upon the United States and the rest of historically Christian nations throughout the civilized world. Even though all of a country’s citizens may not hold to or even claim Christianity, Islamic followers will die for Allah in what they consider a holy war or Jihad in order to eliminate what they perceive as their enemy.

Secondly, ineffective leadership remains a cause for such a catastrophe, as well as a reason for its extension. Not realizing the likelihood of such a war or ignoring the eminent possibility of war and taking a feeble position on foreign affairs will remain an instrumental cause in igniting such a world conflict. Case in point of an incompetent stance of leadership on an issue that deserves a strong opinion would be the United States dealing with Turkey in the past few years. In 1915 the Turkish government persecuted 1.5 million people in what clearly falls under the definition of genocide. The House Committee on Foreign Relations received enormous flak, when it voted that the systematic killing was indeed genocide, but before the vote President Bush entreated the committee not to vote the event genocide because it would severely hurt foreign relations with Turkey as well as damaging America’s war effort against Iraq. Thankfully, the committee did not heed the President’s plea and condemned the murder as genocide. Such leadership examples, as the President’s, in addition to, culture differences will contribute to the start of World War III.

The affects of such a world war would devastate the earth. With nuclear weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction the thought of a world war should intimidate even Islamic radicals, but these indoctrinated men have no concern for their lives or the quality of life of their families. When questioned about what type of weapons men would have at their disposal during World War three, Albert Einstein responded, “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” Clearly, Einstein, an influential figure in the development of the Atomic Bomb, had reason to make this statement. By using these powerful weapons all over the world, we will reduce and destroy our civilization.

With these causes and results in mind, world leaders and citizens should, in all situations, attempt to prevent such a war. As Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “The only way to win World War III is to prevent it.” President Eisenhower made this statement during his re-election when Russia threatened the civilized world, but now this statement applies even more with the progression of the capability of weapons and a people that ardently and religiously hates their enemy. The world should actively search out a means of preventing World War III through an active, rectification of these two cultures through the Christian religion. In addition, the United States should engage in an aggressive foreign policy with this policy’s goal of the disarmament of Islamic radicals. Clearly, World War III will stem from a difference in cultures and ineffective leadership, and the world’s citizens should work to prevent this looming catastrophe.