Next bogeyman?

(My apologies if this isn't the correct forum for this thread...it seems like the best option at the moment.)

Ilych Ramirez Sanchez, aka "Carlos the Jackal", is behind bars serving a life sentence.

Fidel Castro's regime is no longer viewed with as much hysteria as it was during the Cold War.

Saddam Hussein is in captivity awaiting trial.

Usama Bin Laden, the current "world enemy no.1" (for want of a better term) is believed to be still at large.

It appears to me that over the last 40-50 years, there often has been a single individual that has been portrayed by our governments and the media as "the most dangerous person alive" or "the enemy of freedom" or somesuch. What I wonder is this: if / when UBL is officially acknowledged as captured / killed / neutralised, is it more likely than not that someone else will take his place as a global bogeyman? If not an individual, then which organisation (e.g Al Qaeda) or regime (e.g North Korea)? Or is it possible that the security forces of the world can continue the fight against terrorism / genocide / oppression / bare boobs in movies / what have you without some sort of pin-up boy representing the enemy?

I am not suggesting that the entities I have mentioned above are hard done by, or anything like that - for example, I don't really care whether truly Carlos was an evil genius or just a criminal clown who achieved a noteriety that outweighed his actual abilities. What I am curious about is other folks' opinions on whether or not we are likely to always have a bogeyman to single out above everyone else, and why/why not. Is it possible to not have a figurehead?

Your thoughts?

It's really the media that hypes up these "Boogeymen" as you call them. Currently, the story of the hour is the clean up of Katrina/Rita but eventually, those stories will fade into the sunset and new ones will play out.

The "War on Terror" is not some brief exercise; this thing will go on for years and years. I think we will be hit again before it's all said and done.
UBL is really an inspiration to his followers, nothing more these days.

As for North Korea and Kim Jung Il, I think they will eventually come to the table and give up their nuke program totally in return for aid since they are in horrible shape. Despite all the bluster, N. Korea won't launch an attack because if they did, they would be taken out by the US and they know this.

Iran is a little more complex but I think they will eventually be in line. You can be sure Israel will get involved if they believe they are actually developing nukes.

The real big problem in the years to come in my view will be China, with 1+ billion people. They are already making some noise and soon, will be flexing it's muscles and a powerhouse in the economic realm, competing with the US. The real key to remember is China's army... I heard they have around 200,000,000 people enlisted?? Unreal.

Originally posted by philaman01
. The real key to remember is China's army... I heard they have around 200,000,000 people enlisted?? Unreal.

I think thats a estimated number if they had something like a draft no country on earth has the ability to equip that many people right now. The AK-47 the most prolific gun on the planet only numbers about 50 million in the world. Even if they had every AK on earth which they dont that would leave 150 million of that army without a gun.

The PLA right now is made up of 2.5 million people. The ground forces make up 2 million of that number.