The atrocities carried out in the Middle East and Northern Africa seem unending. With the sword and Qur’an the Salafist jihadists are reviving 7th century brutality and are expanding with propaganda of blood and slaughter. By taking the world 1,300 back, they are sending chills of concern to the USA and Great Britain, whose foolish leaders Bush and Blair launched two unfortunate wars in 1993 and 2003 in the inhospitable Mesopotamian deserts.

Last Friday Great Britain upgraded its alert in order to tackle impending terrorist attacks, while in the USA the secrete services are carrying out investigations for Americans fighting for the Islamic State’s knife-wielding thugs.

Under pressure from previous experiences in the region, the Americans and English are avoiding making any commitments for military action in Syria. Meanwhile the Kurds are directly threatened, Lebanon and Jordan fear the idea of a jihadists invasion, Libya is being claimed by similar Islamic groups and Egypt, despite having well-trained armed forces, is living under the constant threat of a generalized Islamic revolt.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia, which until recently funded the jihadists, is trying to contain its population with immense infrastructure works, while the Emirs in Qatar are also starting to withdraw their support for the best, under intense pressure from the Americans.

As it appears, the West has lost control in the greater region and Israel is obviously feeling a greater threat, which is why it recently adopted a similar logic of blood and invasion in Gaza.

Sooner or later things will work out, through the rivers of blood and endless brutality and to the extent that the West cannot have a positive effect or take advantage of the influence that the Russians have in the area, who are currently embroiled in their own matters in Ukraine and are challenging Americans and Europeans.

The region will be split according to the new terms and influence of the Islamic State, the balances will change; Iran will become a regional power, the Kurds will likely gain a state, Turkey will experience the consequences of the new architecture in Mesopotamia and Greece should be prepared to receive endless waves of refuges.

We still do not know how China, Japan, India and the other smaller powers will respond to the new redistribution of power. The Americans are already criticizing the Chinese for indifference, accusing them of not assuming their international responsibilities and merely collecting money.

Europe also resembles a serious patient, watching on with apathy. Germany and her rich satellites seem dedicated to their national –rather than European- goals, while France seems to have come to a standstill thanks to its bourgeois leadership; Italy has yet to come up with a reliable leadership and Spain does not have the strength and overall Europe seems trapped. It is not in the position to serve the vision of a brave union which could make Europe a hegemonic force and guarantor of peace and progress.

There is not doubt that the world is changing face, that it is moving away from the balances of the past and revving forgotten threats.

That is why Greece and her people must focus on provisions and national unity. It is no time for weak-mindedness, slacking and leaps into the void.

Nobody can make any accurate predictions.

Antonis Karakousis

Originally published in the Sunday print edition