Interesting speculation at Terra Nova: "I get an uneasy feeling when actual conflict spills over into games of conflict. But I’m not sure why. Maybe it -would- be a good idea if opposing sides took up virtual arms – anything is better than stones and bombs. For example, one might argue that the current India vs Pakistan test series is a cathartic political statement, the leaders of both nations being present seems to suggest that that game does have political significance. Or am I just trivializing matters now? After all, war’s not a game now is it?"

This brings briefly to mind Kuma/War, which lets players experience levels baed on real U.S. missions in Iraq, ot its Arab-world counterpart, UnderAsh.

Virtual cultural colonization?