Has been since at least the Straight of Hormuz first closed and then Trump threatened to glass Iran, might even could point to the annexation(?) of Venezuela as the beginning. the past few months has mostly been getting pieces into place and grifting the system for all its worth.

Has been for a while :( people will still deny it even after China goes for Taiwan I bet.

I think we are close but I don't think this compares to the other two world wars yet. It's still pretty regional isolated, devastating but not there yet