Game theory

[JASmith]

This is an ugly topic, but discussing may have some value.

The best place to start is to look at history, starting with our Revolutionary war. Who were the players? Who were pulling levers behind the scene prior to openly siding with the Americans?

Then fast forward to our civil war, the pattern was similar except that the Brits were quietly siding with the confederates.

Then pick almost any successful armed insurrection through to the Russian revolution where we Americans were players.

Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodiaa saw similar open and clandestine players.

The current conflicts follow the same pattern.

Indeed, there is a high likelihood that technically astute foreign players are actively planning, training, and supplying at least one of your hypothetical sides.

Bottom line, one hopes that our domestic law enforcement is willing and able to focus on preventing a multi-sided armed conflict on our soil. If not, it will be bloody and a lot of innocent and good people will perish.