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Maybe? I feel like most of the countries at the top present tech levels could not really absorb the kinds of infantry and mechanized losses that would ensue if

Maybe? I feel like most of the countries at the top present tech levels could not really absorb the kinds of infantry and mechanized losses that would ensue if they tried to have an actual ground war. Guided rocket artillery, cruise missiles, airstrikes, etc. seem capable of killing infantry in numbers that would not be politically acceptable. This is to say nothing of the losses that could be inflicted with strategic weaponry (either nuclear or non-nuclear) in a total war. This is part of why I don't expect any future direct wars between world powers.

giantg2 6y ago
"Guided rocket artillery, cruise missiles, airstrikes, etc. seem capable of killing infantry in numbers that would not be politically acceptable." Even infantry to infantry conflicts against a peer-like adversary would result in unacceptable losses for today's society. "This is part of why I don't expect any future direct wars between world powers." I somewhat agree with that. I think it could be possible in a scenario similar to that video game (Solid Snake?) where countries fight each other in highly mechanized/autonomous fashion - limited loss of life, but high economic costs until one collapses. But yeah, probably more likely to be a cyber war or cold war scenario. Technically we are in a loose proxy war with Russia based on what's going on in Syria.