I frequently seek a distanced opinion on something happening in my neck of the woods. Sometimes, being too close to the action (and relying on local media and experts) can prevent us from having a more accurate, unbiased view of things.

Occasionally, I get asked what I think of a particular event happening in another region. Not because I'm an expert in geopolitics. It's just people merely seeking an outsider's opinion on some domestic issue as well.

With that in mind, I wanted to address the possibility of the U.S. going into a civil war, why I believe it won't happen, and what I think is more probable.

The prospect of another civil war permeates the collective American mind.

Or so it seems to this foreigner. It's expected that this sentiment will surface in times of crisis. However, most people have only a vague idea of how an 1861 replay would happen. Whenever I'm discussing with someone and ask how they envision a civil war in the United States playing out, most replies are vague generalizations like "city vs. rural," "neighbors vs. neighbors," or "red vs. blue."