Hypothetical: If a civil war erupted in the USA sometime in the next 5 years - what do you think the cause/s would be? How would it play out? And what do you think the outcome would be?

Reeditor · 1 year

I'm going with food riots. They say that civilization is only three missed meals away from anarchy. I think they're right.

WarToad · 1 year

Nice try, John Titor.

beefjerkier · 1 year

a quarter of our population is morbidly obese, any civil war in the US will be mostly slap fights at the mall.

rightwingnutjob · 1 year

Obama will refuse to leave the White House after losing the 2012 election to Sarah Palin.

The US military will attempt to arrest him, however they will be resisted by other factions of the US military - those being the liberal, feminist, and homosexual factions of the US military that Obama spent much of his Presidency strengthening.

Initially the Palinite forces will be appear superior, however after their attempt to take Washington DC fails, Obama will still control most of the ports and airports in the coastal Obama-zones. He will use these facilities to fly in massive reinforcements provided by the governments of Nigeria, Kenya, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia etc. The UN of course will support Obama.

For maybe another 4 years Obama's forces will appear to be slowly winning by grinding down the Palinite Heartland. However unnoticed by many, Obama's regime will be gradually decaying from within - because of popular disillusionment with his leftwing policies such as socialised healthcare. The Freedom Of eXpression (FOX) News Network will be crucial in helping spread the anti-Obama message.

When the Obamaite offensive fails to take Atlanta, it will appear at first as a minor tactical defeat, however it will lead to a sudden collapse of morale in his forces, and a collapse of his regime. Many Obamaite troops will at this point voluntarily renounce atheism, communism or islam, convert to Christianity, and volunteer to serve the Palinite cause.

Obama himself will flee into exile, spending the rest of his days as a guest of his friend, Kim Jong Il.

flossdaily · 1 year

Can't happen in the next 5 years. For a civil war to occur, you really need a destabilized, small middle class. Now, even with all our economic woes, the middle class is large and has more to gain by keeping the government intact than it does from revolting.

There are still so many home-owning families and small business owners who enjoy the government protection of their ownership rights that they would oppose any violent overthrow.

I've given it a lot of thought, and I actually don't see a civil war in our future. I think that at some point, after the liberals start emigrating en mass, the religious conservatives will finally dissolve their unholy alliance with corporate America.

It's at that point that religious conservatives will form an alliance with whatever's left of the liberal movement and they will run an anti-corporate campaign where they back-burner all the stupid minutia that has kept them divided.

jbreyfogle · 1 year

White midgets vs black midgets?

Edit: some people won't get this reference.

Hypobasis · 1 year

It wouldn't be a civil war. It would be a war with China. A war over resources, the same resources needed to fuel the war, petroleum and uranium. The war would last 2 hours.

War... that shit doesn't change.

soulshitter · 1 year

vi vs Emacs.

olafthebent · 1 year

Civil war?... the reason?... Rabbit/Duck season?

Seriously? Urban vs Rural. Mainly economic reasons

When the rural folks get tired of feeding our asses, us city folks are up shit creek

iccccceman · 1 year

Read the comic DMZ!

macaronipewpew · 1 year

Kirk vs. Picard

slasher_lash · 1 year

Nice Try, Tom Clancy.

ginzo · 1 year

The initial conception was essentially to create 13 different countries, or States as they're called in Europe, that would be independent of one another but be United within the continent of America. This is obviously not the case today, as it appears most states only have a very limited scope of sovereignty under federal control. The problem is this country is extremely large, and extremely different from end to end. As such, it has vastly different ideologies, ways of life, political and religious viewpoints, and cultures. Unfortunately, these views and ideologies have become exceedingly radical and extremist over the years, and will eventually and inevitably, divide the country. The polarization and oppositional dissonance will eventually hit a point of no return, and the country will likely fragment itself based on these vast differences.

Very interesting hypothesis on how the United State's might splinter.

RevRaven · 1 year

It will be Texas' fault.

mrekted · 1 year

Impossible. Civil wars aren't people vs. people, they're people vs. government. I don't even live in the US, but I can see from here that the government has its fingers too deep into the populace to allow anything close to a civil war to begin.

The CIA (20,000 people), the FBI (33,000 people), the NSA (est 15,000 - 20,000 people), the ATF (5,000 people), the Secret Service (4,400 people), and of course the Dept of Homeland Security (216,000 people) - that's 298,000 of the most highly skilled people in the world, utilizing the worlds most cutting edge technology, spending hundreds of billions of dollars a year for the sole purpose of knowing what's happening before it happens. Imagine the capabilities of these organizations that we're not aware of. If there was a genuine internal threat, it would take but a small shift of focus to turn these resources towards the population. If this were to happen, there would be no secrets. "Traitors" would be quickly identified and targeted.

If, by some miracle, a movement was established that would allow a portion of the population to mobilize against the establishment, they would immediately face the overwhelming task of facing a nation that contains nearly a million civilian law enforcement personnel. Given a few days, the government will then be able to fully deploy its 3 million strong armed forced division, complete with all of its top of the line, state of the art weaponry.

Let's be honest. It would be over in days. It wouldn't even be a fight.. it would be a manhunt.

Sykotik · 1 year

Our war is a quick, bloodless one.

A recent government study suggested that 22% of American use marijuana on a regular basis and on April 20th. 2011 the movement began. Outraged over decades of being misled and lied to, Marijuana smokers all over America decided to protest the best way they knew how, by doing nothing at all.

They simply stayed home.

With nearly 1/4 of it's workforce gone, American industry suffered amazing financial loss. Deadlines went unmet and projects were delayed indefinitely. The Dow Jones plummeted to an all time low(save for certain tobacco companies, whose cigar businesses had seen a recent unexpected boon) and movie ticket and mini-golf sales were all but nonexistent.

Politicians were swiftly brought to their knees.

As Mr. Chong and Mr. Marin(NORMLs unanimously elected governmental representatives) descend the steps of the capital building one month later, the crowd falls silent.

"Today a historic moment in, uh... history," Mr Chong begins. "Recreational and medicinal marijuana users all across the country are no longer required to cower in fear of being sought out and arrested for crimes no more serious than those not being committed at your local neighborhood bar." The crowd roars, people are shouting and clapping.

Mr Marin steps forward and addresses the crowd, "I've been waiting a long time for this," he says, tears in his eyes, "on behalf of myself, NORML, and The United States of America," at this point, Mr Marin reaches in to his coat and takes out a marijuana cigarette, lighting it. Cameras flash from every direction. "Smoke 'em if you got 'em, America. You deserve it."

/scene

ACSlater · 1 year

"And here she is, the 45th President of the United States of America, Ms. Sarah Palin."

Wurm42 · 1 year

The military-industrial complex would never allow such a thing to happen. If the USA broke up, nobody would ever pay $1 billion for a single airplane ever again.

grumpypants_mcnallen · 1 year

EMP on wallstreet and that building in New jersey that does the rapid trading. With the US in financial collaps, things will go fast.

redlion81 · 1 year

John Ringo has a book "Last Centurion" that talks about a few years from now that not only does some super flu hit the world, but it was also a year without a summer so food crops suffered badly. Detroit in the book becomes a muslim city state and other stuff as well. So short of a major cripple to the powers that stand it would take a 90% of the people to stand up to the government for it to be even a fighting chance.

tomg288374 · 1 year

I would prefer a zombie apocalypse to a civil war.

robfs · 1 year

"I think we need to have another Civil War, because these NASCAR fans are out of control."

SicTim · 1 year

Cable/Satellite TV goes out. Everybody misses an episode of Mad Men. This results in panic, rioting in the streets, and a government takeover of the media.

The government then cancels Glenn Beck, resulting in an uprising of nearly 6,000 people who weren't mostly watching for entertainment value. They occupy the Rhode Island state capitol building, until everyone loses interest and goes home in time to catch a rebroadcast of the missed Mad Men episode.

The government then hires Ken Burns to make a documentary about the event. For some reason, he can only find still photographs.

CoruthersWigglesby · 1 year

THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN.

... which will immediately lead to us being completely and totally fucked.

HalfysReddit · 1 year

Economic collapse, government is controlled by right-winged politicians, people riot and a new liberal government is formed. Guerrilla warfare erupts in urban developments, America is war-torn and never reaches a peaceful conclusion. We will eventually be two bitter nations, with the war being a monumental waste of life. We will also cease to be a world power in this process.

Wurm42 · 1 year

I thought Jericho had a fairly plausible scenario for the breakup of the USA:

Major cities, including Washington, are destroyed by terrorist nukes. In the aftermath, nobody is sure what happened, there's a general breakdown of trust and communications. Initially, power and authority coalescing around five regional centers, here's the map, and then follows diplomacy and armed conflict to determine which one comes out on top.

ChocolateGiddyUp · 1 year

Have you ever heard of a comic series called 'DMZ' by Brian Wood?

Although they often lack essential elements to be considered as a truly great graphic novel, the core story is left vague enough for some pondering. And the essence of the war described therein seems not so unlikely. All that is missing is foreign back-up.

As soon as China decides the US market isn't satisfactory, but the land could make a good investment, some backing of militias is possible, as well as the necessary propaganda. There you have your civil war.

Enjoy it.

ciaphas22 · 1 year

Falls apart in a similar fashion to Rome. Projects stability and power while the interior is weak and brittle. Eventually starts to lose control to civil strife and implodes.

gvsteve · 1 year

There is too much money in being part of the USA for any state to every seriously consider seceding. Doing so would cost your state all your highway funding, SS benefits, Medicare/Medicaid, and a lot more.

throw6539 · 1 year

It will be the Southern states fucking it all up again, hopefully with the exception of Florida. They will not want to be part of "Obama's America," even if Obama is long gone. It will be anti-progressives against forward-thinking people. In their new country, they will lower taxes, get the government out of their affairs, and generally revert back to a previous age without regulation. They will quickly learn that roads do not maintain themselves, that private education breeds class warfare and idiocy, that deregulation means the rampant spread of disease and squalor, and that God is not on their side after all. They will slowly crumble without the support of the federal government that they all currently so desperately rely on. Eventually, they'll beg to be back in the Union, and we'll acquiesce because, after all, they're just stupid rednecks who didn't think it through.

WarToad · 1 year

Metal vs. Hip Hop

Mnementh2230 · 1 year

I'm guessing it would be evangelical christians vs. secularists, with the evangelicals trying to turn the country into a theocracy. I don't know about the rest.

throwawayaccount910 · 1 year

I could see a race, religious, or democrat vs republican war happening in 25-50 years.

I could see R vs D happening sooner rather than later.

mike_burck · 1 year

It starts with an assassination plot that takes out the president and the vice president. The speaker of the house declares martial law in all major cities as, in his words, "the attacks are part of a greater terrorist threat." Bombs start going off on a regular basis, and the population starts to panic. As food, water and electricity systems become rationed, locals put pressure on their military leaders to ensure their survival.

Military governors have no choice but to demand more supplies from neighboring regions. The new president struggles to claim legitimacy as he postpones elections. As the chain of command corrodes, regional political groups and military leaders declare temporary independence.

War over resources soon breaks out all over the country.

[deleted] · 1 year

Raaaaace waaaaaar!

rankao · 1 year

America is to diverse to break out into civil war. Revolutions won't happen because we are too dependant of the system to stay alive. The current system the Republic holds allows enough flexability for any needed change in a realitivly show time.

Of course I have a more interesting question. What would happen to allow the EU to have a violent break up.

stonenotes · 1 year

Suffering, death, starvation, etc.

[deleted] · 1 year

Based on my extensive internet research it will most likely become either Team Death-match red vs blue states. Or Capture the Flag. The flag being the World recognized title of The United States of America. Should go back and forth a few times between coasts.

nunobo · 1 year

Interesting graphic novel tackles this question - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMZ\_\(comics)

myrandomname · 1 year

I don't know what would start it, probably a combination of various things, but it would result in anarchy. In the American Civil War, there were two distinct regions who were at odds with each other. I don't think that this situation exists anymore, I just don't see any issue capable of uniting one entire region against another, so it would just dissolve into chaos.

Eventually, some groups may be able to carve out a city or a state, but I think it would take a while, and by that time, there wouldn't be much left to claim.

macnomad84 · 1 year

hyperinflationary mass secession

mapoftasmania · 1 year

A tax/property rebellion by the rich coupled with civil unrest/looting by the starving poor after an economic collapse.

slasher_lash · 1 year

The cause would be someone getting chocolate in my peanut butter. I would win.

[deleted] · 1 year

The day we run out of bacon is the day I fight for our science-given rights. The day I fight for our freedom will come this November, when I vote "yes" on prop 19.

Curll · 1 year

Non-crazy Christians, Athiests, Muslims, Hispanics, Blacks, and Gays vs. Christian Fundamentalists.

It'll start when Mosques start getting bombed in the name of Christ.

piney · 1 year

It starts with the perception that the Federal government isn't attending to important national/state/local issues. States begin making laws that conflict with Federal laws (like Arizona's immigration law, or California's decriminalization of marijuana). The Federal government can't provide timely responses to the local problems that require a swift solution. As local, state and national laws become out of sync, a kind of anarchy arises.

Citizens feel that they're paying taxes into a Federal government that is increasingly unable to help them. The Federal government get anything done as the acrimony, corruption and hypocrisy becomes ever more blatant. The extremist factions refuse to work together - or one party will accomplish something, only to have it subsequently undone by the other party, the process repeating itself ad infinitum.

With a weak, unresponsive and divided Federal government, some states begin enacting laws that other states find unacceptable or 'unpatriotic' and boycotts lead to actual conflicts between the extremist citizens of neighboring states. Which leads to Timothy McVeigh or Scott Roeder-like terrorism, but between extremists in different states. The states will hold each other responsible for policing their citizens.

Some states create their own loose associations and become more independent minded. A loose association of states that want, say single payer health care, wonder why a Senator from another region can obstruct their wishes, particularly when the Federal government is so weak and divided. Trust and good faith evaporate, and diplomacy breaks down.

Eventually a state, or a group of states, will do something that the others find to be an unacceptable breach of procedure, trust, or precedent. They won't back down. And then it happens.

La_Li_Lu_Le_Lo · 1 year

Obviously the world will fall into proxy wars where the lines between soldier and civilian are smeared. Corporations will be the new government, and war will be the Oil of the 21st Century.

Reddittfailedme · 1 year

it would be the police/corporations/republitards vs the people.

taranov2007 · 1 year

Ironically, lots of wars start over religion - It could be about gay rights or about abortions or another related issue, but it often comes back to blind faith.

Cybercommie · 1 year

If NASA is right then humoungous sunspots will swamp the worlds electricity grids for about 10 years from 2013. No Oprah, no reddit, no oil, just subsistence living for most of the survivors. That will disintegrate most countries and cause a lot of conflict, no need for a civil war.

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