Quote Originally Posted by rory_20_uk View Post
Which countries really have the ability to project force in any meaningful way?

USA - well, look like stretched to breaking point by particularly unimpressive enemies.
UK - sort of, but only with help and not for long, or against a powerful foe
India / China / Pakistan / Brazil... - strong local power, no blue water navies to speak of (although China is moving to reverse this)
EU - piss ups and breweries come to mind. Most force is from the UK and France. Add in a few cub scout groups and enough bureaucrats to ensure nothing happens.
Russia - blue water fleet mostly beyond repair. Found that economic weaponry is much better.

So I think that economy / military is the way forward, even though the second is not really relevant. (Although the UK is building some massive aircraft carriers so we can put all our eggs in one basket).

The UN is there to pass some incredibly anaemic pronouncements against countries with no friends in the big league. If the country is really unlucky some 3rd world militias will be given blue hats and immunity from prosecution to go and rape their way through the locals until order has been restored or the funds ran out.

by project force, i am going to presume you mean beyond a contiguous border of the nation itself.

projecting force could mean rolling your million strong peasant army across the border into a neighbours backyard, but that isn't terribly useful in the context of the security council.

those nations most able to project force are IMHO the following:

1) US (the untouchable champ)
2) UK (the Royal Fleet Auxhilliary and Amphibious unit are unmatched outside the US)
3) France (pretty big on the Amphibs but very light on afloat support)
4) China (massive 'local' amphibious ability being built, but definitely not blue-water)
5) Russia (in theory quite a few assets provided they haven't been stripped for raw-materials)
6) India (reasonable amphibious and blue-water ability)
7) Australia (post 2015 when they get their new amphibs and heavy lift planes)
8) Netherlands + Spain (stretching here, but some amphibious capability)