Loving your stories! I don't see any U.S. global empire. The U.S. simply has the strongest military which most of Asia and Europe indirectly pay for willingly, if not, intentionally because they don't want to do it. It's inefficient for everyone to build fighters, etc.

The problem is that as cheap access to resources goes away (partly from the climate reasons you write about) some countries are experiencing grave economic stresses--like Iran. China is the major buyer of Middle Eastern oil. China isn't playing peacemaker here. It's simply telling its two major suppliers (because it is the main buyer) to get along (on its terms, for its own geopolitical agenda) or it won't buy.

What you won't read about is how Japan feels about this (ape-fucking-shit) if I may say. A few years ago Japanese tankers were attacked probably by China, who knows. Bottom line is that Asia (as Japan in 1930s) MUST keep the oil coming. China has been moving in the South China seas to freeze out Japan,, SK and Taiwan. It's getting nasty now.

The destabilizing nature of this development is off the charts in my book. As climate change ramps up Middle Eastern oil will become more valuable because the way the world will deal with climate change is HOARDING, not doing anything rational. China MUST have that energy. It is ALWAYS energy deprived despite huge coal reserves. Energy will be used to fight the harms of climate change.

Well, I probably ranted enough for now ;) You get the idea.