Most global guerrilla groups have become increasingly focused on economic insurgency to the detriment of ideological motivations. The reasons are obvious: guerrillas that are economically able to self-finance are much more likely to survive long term and gain favor with local populations – this income provides the means for the legitimacy jiu-jitsu necessary to create temporary autonomous zones (TAZs). The coming boom in black globalization will catalyze the spread of these groups even into areas in the West previously assumed immune. Unfortunately, unlike purely criminal organizations in the classic mold, these armed groups will actively compete with nation-states for local legitimacy.

The thought of disposing of the ISS so soon has led to some speculative “alternative uses” for the ISS; one of the most outlandish being the conversion of the ISS into some kind of International Space Ship, retrofitting the station with rockets and sending it to the Moon and/or Mars to act as a manned mothership for planetary activities. Although this excites my science fiction imagination, this possibility seems unlikely (it would be cool though…).