I wrote a reply on another thread but I think it is better to have it here:
As the American Empire falls other emerging Wannabe Empires are taking its place let me count them if I can:
1-Turkey: Turkey is trying to re-establish a Neo-Ottoman type of rule we can see this very apparently with its shift in foreign policy from a country that its foreign policy previously was almost non existent to one that of a heavy weight in the region already being the daddy of the new revolution countries of the Arab world and soon beyond the Arab world.
2-Iran: Iran is looking to re-establish its former glory of the Persian Empire and it is not wasting its chance as the American beast lie in its defensive cocoon unable to attack Iran has been sharpening its weapons and increase its foreign policy power 10 folds while it is at it. Strong will power is the main backer behind Iran's new almost super-power attitude that earns it respect.
3-GCC countries: Realizing that the US no longer has anything to offer and that it is nothing more but a shadow of its former self and the eventual collapse of the once "Good friend" have led to the Gulf Monarchs on a more independent rule looking after its own long-term interest for a change and using their vast Oil supplies to push to a more secure Economy and pushing their population into a more scientific and progressive way of thinking even though they have kept them in the dark on purpose for long they are taking the risk of enlightened people is grave to their rule they have chosen to take it or fear being left out of the world and once again live an insignificant existence.
4-Russia: Russia since the times of the Czar have always been a power to be reckoned with and made more great and powerful by the soviet union. As a result Russia will strive to once again take the mantle of "Super Power" at all costs and it has all the means of achieving such a feat it only needs time to tend to its wounds of the soviet union collapse and that time is almost up.
5-China: China have made a great push in recent year unrivaled by any nation including the US. In fact China's push is one of the reasons that caused the US fall since the US only retained power through means of "Technology and Industrial know-how hugging" which as much as possible keeping the rest of the world in the dark and on the consumer level rather than producers however with China breaking that hegemony china is more than set into being a Super-Power in its own right retaking its former glory as the most civilized and the hub of science in the world once more a position they retained more than all the countries on earth.
6-Japan: Even though Japan has been "dismusculized" by the USA ever since WW2 it is however have been recently taking a more hardliner stance with increased nationalistic feelings and the re-emerging of the Japanese warrior tradition in the Japanese people. Even though japan has a huge fertility problem ahead of it, it still has more to go before it is taken down. The Japanese debt although huge it is however manageable unlike the US debt which if "Managed" will end what little more years the US has the sole world super-power.
6-Germany: Germany is suffering the same problem Japan is facing with constant American bases in its soil to "Keep them down" however they are rising not through military means (However a military rise is an eventual outcome) as the EU is suffering its worst problems since its inception Germany appears to be the only one who can save them (A well planned irony from the German part). When the Germans got rid of their Frank which was its main obstacle to industrial European hegemony it's financial prowess is left only challenged by France in the European continent.
7-France: Sarkozy has been described by many as a neo-Napoleonic figure for France but not without cause. I firmly believe that whoever was to lead France at this time would have been doing the same thing as him to increase foreign policy and influence power to be on par with France's history and they have all the means to achieving it. France's economy combined with previous history of influence in a lot of parts of the world already gives it a push ahead, a push they are unlikely to make the best of.
8-Brazil: Brazil have always been kept down with internal problems ranging from coups to military dictatorships the near collapse of the US coupled with Brazil's own endogenous potential have given it all the means to rise to a super-power level.
9-India: India's ambitions in being a world "Super-Power" and to make use of its vast land and huge population is probably the main reason of why it is struggling to become one. Eyeing China India has also tried to make use of its population number into building a huge industry (Up to which they have been somewhat successful) however they have neglected one of the more important things in the Super-Power criteria and that is "Well-fare of citizens" while many would argue that this problem exists due to cast system history and play it as "Part of the culture", it still won't earn India true Super-Power status unless it tackles these problems first once tackled they are more than set into taking the entire world head one however it will not be an easy ride.
10:United Stated of America: Even though the USA will fall from the spot of "Sole Super-Power" it will not remain without influence and strength to still be an adversary to the emerging powers. Even though the debt crisis and its falling ability to live its once lavish life is taking a hit it will still maintain a powerful economy and industry in the new world for some time.
Well I just wrote this which is what I see the world is eventually going to I hope you guys tell me what you think I could be wrong in some things in it however history has a nasty habit of repeating itself so the way I see it is that I do not see a World War 3 as many predict however what I see is a world in conflict and a world where it goes back to its original self where neighbors fighting is the norm and war was a constant.
We are entering an age of scarcity. Peak oil is right around the corner in geological terms (most estimates are 2020-2050). In this new age, the GCC will benefit the most at the beginning 5-10 years, but once their oil runs out, it is game over.
The GCC has only 20 more years to get in shape, otherwise it will be the permanent end. Russia has all the advantages of the GCC, but have existing military and scientific muscle to back it. Their biggest weakness is demographics and low population density, meaning more energy is needed just to hold the country together. Iran also has the advantages of the GCC, along with a lower pump rate, allowing them to keep their reserves well into peak oil. The only problem is Iran is both militarily weaker than Russia, but doesn't have the good diplomacy of the GCC.
The US economy cannot tolerate oil prices over 110 USD per barrel for long periods of time, due to their industrial infrastructure which was designed to run on oil; just note the suburbs. If oil gets too expensive, people will literally be imprisoned in their own homes. Countries with high population density in Asia will benefit strongly from high oil prices (in a zero sum game, where growth in our countries means recession in the US). That is because our economies have higher marginal utility for oil. A family's first car, or the first power plant in a region, provides much more value than the 3rd car or 10th power plant.
This is just peak oil; global warming is also going to start accelerating in the next 30 years. Low lying countries are going to get drowned beneath the ocean, major cities will go down, and disease will spread like wildfire into zones known now for peace and tranquility. Europe and the central US, in particular, are at high risk for drought just as their fossil water is projected to run dry.
With China's push for alternative energy, nukes, and full electrification of infrastructure, I think that with some luck and avoiding war for the next 10 years, we just might become the last industrial superpower.
The next 30 years are going to be NOTHING like the last 30 years. In fact, they will be unprecedented in history. The next 30 years are going to be filled with war, disease, famine, death, destruction, scarcity and conflict. 2011 was just the 1st year of this 30, and look what happened all in this 1 year. Lets hope to see each other on the other side.
