The foundations of World War III are being laid today - this is the central message of Future: Tense. The whole world needs America to lose the war in Iraq as soon as possible, lest the stand-off between Islamists and American neo-conservatives escalates into a new global conflict. The terrorist threat is a red herring, and the radical Islamists' dream of a worldwide jihad against the West is a fantasy, but Washington's attempt to revive Pax Americana - its dream of global military dominance - is real. In this lucid, compelling book, a brilliant follow-up to his bestselling Ignorant Armies, Gwynne Dyer analyzes the history of tensions between the Arab world and the West, and shows how fringe groups of extremists on both sides now feed off each other: terrorism in Western cities provides justification for military reprisals, which in turn strengthen the cause of Islamist fanatics. Dyer argues that unless America honours its commitment to the United Nations, the rule of law and multilateralism, then the drift back into alliances and military confrontations will begin, and the world will edge toward the brink of disaster.