Marc,

The League of Nations and the Later United Nations had members, and both were primarily designed more to avoid War through negotiations/arbitration/ enforcing sanctions if needed. So yes Marc, but what I'm talking about would be a Federation with a much broader concept, designed to not just mitigate current world differences, but a Federation designed to evolve in bringing the world State's together to co-exist and to quell the radical nit-wits--and if "enclosing them in" as Colin afore mentioned is necessary, then so be it. It may be even possible to cut their internet/satellite capability through technology. The Federation needs to control the economics/political disputes/environmental issues and protect and secure the future for our planet Earth. Earth is not such a big place anymore!--regulated & administrated for the good of all from an unbiased leadership--do I think it will happen, no. If so, how long would it take for it be effective--a long time, because radical changes will take more than one generation to be able to compromise this much power safely. We live in a world where having the "biggest club" may not save the day, therefore we need to find answers not for only or temporarily stopping terrorists of this day, but to create a world where they just can't get started easily and find a place of refuge--not saying it is an easy task. We've been here for over a million years, a century isn't very long relatively speaking. Our grandkids or great grandkids may enjoy the fruits of world peace and "reasonable economic equity"--a good thing.

Good points Colin.

Steady-eddie.