AS I sit in my office writing, Michigan is experiencing hopefully its last snowstorm before spring fully blossoms.

But as nature provides its annual sense of hope, the world has taken a deadly turn to darkness that is becoming all too familiar to the West.

The bombs that exploded in Brussels again remind us that ISIS, and other terror groups, can literally change the narrative of our lives. As a result, we, as humans, realise Mother Nature is not the only force that can dictate our lives.

It has been four months since the Paris bombings stunned the world. More than 500 were killed or wounded. French President Francois Hollande said the attack was an “act of war”. Many agreed, but the leaders of the West did not declare war on ISIS or any other terror brethren. After a couple of weeks of outrage, Parisians and the West went back to their normal lives.

President Hollande travelled through Europe trying to convince leaders, such as David Cameron (Great Britain), Vladimir Putin (Russia) and Angela Merkel (Germany), to join him in a crusade against Islamic terrorism. Their tepid response spoke volumes. They were unwilling. Hollande visited US President Barack Obama at the White House to come away with sympathy, but no military commitment.

The French President soon returned to his political duties in France with nothing to show for his effort to create a Western coalition. Then in Brussels the international airport and the city subway were blown up. Now what?

Respected, often controversial, journalist John Pilger gave a provocative speech at Sydney University a few days ago stating that recent global events had convinced him a new world war was looming. The West, with its self-absorption and self-righteousness, views all acts that are unrepresentative of its own interests as threats to its existence. All who resist Western demands are treated as enemies to be dealt with decisively and with overwhelming force if needed.

The “Establishment” is not as solid, stable and secure as one might think. Whether the power structure is in Europe, Australia, Asia or the US, the people we entrusted to make critical decisions about our future and security are under unprecedented attack.

Citizens through the world are revolting against what they view as the Establishment’s destructive, senseless and potentially catastrophic policies. The common global citizen is finding it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to get his/her government to deal with any major issue as an honest broker. The influence and power of money, and the politicians it has bought, are interpreted as a direct threat to democracy.

The 2016 American presidential caucus and primary process has brought out the worst elements and instincts in several candidates.

There is a chance there could be four different candidates, and parties, competing for the presidency on the first Tuesday in November. Why? America is fragmenting. In both the Democratic and Republican parties the level of frustration is growing. The average voter has had enough the financial and political corruption engulfing Washington, DC and the commons of US society. The middle ground of US society is disappearing.

type_quote_start The bombs that exploded in Brussels again remind us that ISIS, and other terror groups, can literally change the narrative of our lives. type_quote_end

In the Democratic Party, the frontrunner, former US secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton, is essentially financed by multinational corporations and big Wall Street banks. Her relentless opponent, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, has close to six million individual donors. Sanders has profoundly out-raised Clinton over the past two months. Last month, he raised more than $43 million, while Clinton raised $30 million. Sanders tells his audiences with glee the average contribution to his campaign is less than $30. Clinton brags she has almost a million contributors. Clearly, the average American supports Sanders. Clinton is a creature of corporate finance.

Clinton has won 17 states, and Sanders 11. In the race of pledged delegates, Sanders has stayed close to Clinton and is expected to do well in the upcoming state caucuses and primaries in the American West. One reason for his success is a vast majority of Democrat voters believe he is authentic and trustworthy, and Clinton is not. The polls on these characteristics have favoured Sanders for months. Why is Clinton frontrunner? The Establishment.

Clinton has the party’s machinery helping her in every caucus and primary, yet she is unable to shake Sanders, who consistently draws the largest crowds.

The corporate media keeps hinting Sanders should drop out to unite the party behind Clinton, but this is a pipe dream. Momentum appears to be galvanising the Sanders campaign again.

A growing number of voters in the Democratic Party see the party’s establishment as a disingenuous group of worthless hacks and corporate puppets. For too many voters, Clinton has become the face of this discredited organisation.

The Republican Party and its supporters are in the midst of a political civil war. Last week, I wrote about what Trump represents for millions of Americans, but Tasmanian readers must also understand there are almost an equal number of Republicans, and most Democrats, who see him as an abomination of American values. Yet the nomination of Trump as the Republican nominee appears almost certain. The party establishment is openly talking about stopping him at their national convention to be held in Cleveland, Ohio.

There is talk Ohio Governor John Kasich is the stalking horse of the Republican kingmakers.

This is dangerous politics because if Trump is denied nomination due to backroom deals and maneuverings, he will almost certainly leave the party and become a third-party candidate. As a result, the Republican Party will be destroyed for the 2016 presidential election.

It will be similar to what happened to the Republican Party in 1912 when incumbent President William Howard Taft was given the party’s nomination even though most Republicans wanted the former Republican president Theodore Roosevelt. In 1912, Roosevelt had defeated Taft in nine of 12 primaries. He even defeated Taft in his home state of Ohio, but Wall Street had a deep dislike and mistrust of Roosevelt.

In the end, “money power” won the day. Taft got the nomination. And Roosevelt went third-party.

The developments destroyed any chance of the Republicans winning the White House.

Many nations are witnessing unprecedented tension and upheaval.

Europeans have no choice but to make hard decisions about their security — and they must figure it out alone because the US is consumed and distracted by its internal political war.

Most global citizens agree that it is time for new ideas and strategies to deal with the critical, complex and difficult issues that confront not only themselves, but humankind itself.

Based in Michigan, Dr Randall Doyle is a regular visitor to Tasmania. He is researching a book on Australia’s geopolitical importance in the 21st century.