Probability of global war directly involving US, China, and Russia *soon*?

[Beet]

In every decade since the advent of the European nation-state there has been a major war or series of wars drawing in all the biggest powers.

In the 1500s, there were the Wars of Religion.
In the 1600s, there was the Thirty Years War.
In the 1700s, there was the War of Spanish Succession and Seven Years' War.
In the 1800s, there were the Napoleonic Wars.
In the 1900s, there were the World Wars.

The difference today, is that our weapons have become so much powerful, as has our ability to deal damage. As Albert Einstein once said, "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." Arguably this is the single biggest political issue facing our entire generation worldwide, whether in this century we can avoid the war that our forefathers fell into in previous centuries.