Let’s not rush into WWIII

I’VE always been sceptical of the conventional wisdom. Like when after Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003, the champions of the conventional wisdom assured us that Iraq would turn into a democracy and freedom would spread across the Middle East. What became of the region, instead, was one big mess.

Which explains perhaps that after lessons learnt, politicians and pundits are refraining from promoting similar cheerful scenarios now that Syria’s Bashar al-Assad has been overthrown, and more realistic expectations about that country’s future are being drawn.

Unfortunately, the conventional wisdom is drawing us into another dangerous direction as it advances the notion that we are heading now into World War III, with China, Russia, Iran and North Korea on one side and the US-led West on the other.