[zdoppiklonikaa]

With all due respect any discussion of military power that does not give considerable conisderation to nuclear weapons is incomplete. Nuclear weapons are the most powerful and effective weapons in the world. A country with a large enough arsenal who has the means to deliver these weapons can project its will any where in the world at any time. While the US may still possess a "qualitative" edge at the moment over Russia and China, Russia has the largest and most advanced nuclear arsenal in the world at the moment, as well as the most advanced and reliable delivery systems for these weapons. In addition the US has allowed its nuclear capabilities and its delivery capabilities to erode in recent decades.

Russia's nuclear edge offsets any "qualitative" conventional edge the US may still have. China has vast numbers that the US cannot match. These vast numbers would quickly overwhelm any "qualitative" edge America may still possess over them. In a military confrontation with China, America would lose badly in a conventional figth. America's only option would be a nuclear one. Also, in any fight with China, America will definitely be fighting Russia also and very likely China as well. The same applies in a fight with Russia as well. If Russia needed assistance in a conventional fight, China would come to their aid. this would quickly overwhelm any qualitative edge America may have. With Russia's vast nuclear arsenal going nulcear against Russia is not feasible.

Essentially China's vast numbers cancel out any qualitative edge America may have. Russia's nulcear arsenal cancels out America's nuclear option. In addition, a fight against either of these countries will lead to fighting the other as well. Also, Russia, China, and other nations have upgraded their militaries in recent years. America has not. As such, any qualitative edge America has oir may have is diminishing rapidly. Also, America has neglectd the "hard sciences" such as math, chemistry, physics, and engineering in its education system in favor of politically correct teachings such as "native American studies", "emancipation of enslaved peoples studies", "LGBT rights studies", "man caused global warming", and a plethora of other things. As such, America does not have the skilled personnel to remain competitive with up and coming powers or Russia and China for any length of time.

Even if those problems of lack of skilled personnel could be solved, which would take a decade or more to get a handle on even if America changed its education system right this instance, America faces an additional problems of massive national debt and a crumbling infrastructure. Much will need to be done to address all of this. If this is not bad enough, America lacks any kind of manufacturing base to manufacture things to meet its basic needs, let alone build what would be needed to win a military confrontation with the likes of Russia and China. Given America's lack of the skilled personnel, the manufacturing infrastructure, its crumbling civilian infrastructure, and its massive national debt, there is almost zero possiblity that America is going to be able to compete with Russia or China in any meaningful way in the short to mid term or very likely the long term.

Given these factors, America will continue to weaken while China and likely Russia will grow stronger. There's simply no way for America to realistically expect to compete. Also, America holds the position of being the most universially despised country on the planet. In any confrontation with Russia, China, or any other combination of powers, these others can count on help. America cannot.

The hurdles for America are massive. I have no doubt that Russian and Chinese leaders wake up each and every morning thanking whatever god or gods they believe in that the problems their nations face are no where near as severe as those faced by America.

Finally, America may be the most powerful nation today but, if so, given all the factors laid out above this will only continue to be the case for another year or so, two years at the most.

Mid to long range for world powers would be as follows, if we are talking about winning a war.
1.) Russia
2.) China
3.) India
4.) Israel
5.) Iran
6.) North Korea
7.) Pakistan
8.) Brazil
9.) Iraq
10.) Venezuela

The US is not even on the list. At this point, the US has no real prospect to be competitive as a major world power. In addition, it has Russia, China, Iran, and a host of other countries literally gunning for it. America should focus on its survival and not on global power. With all the issues laid out above, America's survival as a soverign entity is less than 50% over the next five year period and this assumes its current leadership is replaced with competent leaders. The problems have simply allowed to go on too long and have become to massive. Under current management, America's survival prosepcts over a two to five year period are less than 1%.

Currently a list of the top military powers would likely be
1.) Russia
2.) China
3.) USA (a VERY distant third)

The rest of the current list I could not quibble to much with, however, Pakistan should be listed ahead of the United Kingdom. France, and Germany. With all due respect any analysis of military power that does not consider nukes first and foremost is at best incomplete. Also, long range trends need to be considered as well. In the current situation America's prospects are dim and mid to long range they are even dimmer. Essentially America should not be ranked number one in military capabilities. In fact the country is not even close to Russia and China and barring something extrodinary the likes of which has been seldom if ever seen in world history the superiority of Russia and China over America in military force capability will only become wider in coming years.