The world in which we live is a far cry from that into which our great-grandparents were born. What was once a world held in an uneasy detente by the threat of annihilation, has now become a world at war. Nations seek to expand their power and influence, attempting to gain dominance over their neighbours, militarily, socially, or economically. Europe has coalesced into a super-state. The European Federation incorporates all of Western Europe and is now the world"s richest and most powerful nation, exerting influence across the globe. It is not, however, without its problems, notably frictions between its member-states, and civil war in one - the United Kingdom - regarding continued membership of the alliance. The United States has remained strong, but it also has its difficulties. After decades of aggressive actions against worldwide threats driven by the so-called Bush Doctrine, it is diplomatically and politically isolated. It has also come under the dominance of corporate interests who have little interest in the wider world. This introspection has caused America to underestimate the political complexity of the situation in Europe and elsewhere. Myopic vision has led to a series of overreactions and poor decisions, which have triggered a major confrontation with the Europeans called the Armageddon War.