What changes do you foresee in the world political scene
specially on the ‘War-on-terror’ Front, Kashmir Front, Middle-east crisis, etc etc… Any comments?
Happy new year to all of you..
i don't know. i was thinking about this last night. i think it's all going to get worse, ten times, hundred times worse. We'll have more of the same old stuff - more 'terrorist' attacks, MAYBE a possible thaw in the relationship between India and Pakistan, we'll be closer to some sort of psuedo governing council in Iraq rubber-stamped by the usual colonizers & rubber-stampers of puppet governments, Canada-US relations will be slightly less strained with PM Paul Martin's new government, more civil liberties eroded in 'western' countries (and Muslim ones like Uzbekistan) under the guise of the 'war on terrorism', Aids will continue to kill more and more Africans while the rest of the world pretends nothing's going on in that blighted continent, Muslim governments will continue to compete against each other in seeing who can build the most luxurious underwater hotels while the people of Palestine will continue to be squeezed in between settlements, settlements, and settlements. Dubya will be re-elected, unless there is some major setback between now and November - say a huge attack against the US in Iraq or a huge Halliburton scandal. Doubtful. With the Dems in their weak position, i think Dubby will see a second term through... notwithstanding one or two rigged votes here and there in Florida.
The Muslim world will continue to wait for the magical Saladin to manifest himself out of thin air; instead of the warrior, we will have more of the usual King Fahds, Hosni Mubaraks, Sheikh Nahyans and Gaddafis to keep us company for the next twelve months. The OIC will continue to lie in its impotence and lethargic state. No weapons, of course, will be discovered in Iraq in 2004 but we will all gloss over that; sights will be set on the next 'axis of evil'... but only post-November, not before the elections as that will make for bad campaign photo-ops.
All in all, my own natural pessimism notwithstanding, with an objective look around the world - i think 2004 is going to be an awful year. In 365 days, i hope all of us return to this thread and i am proven wrong. Alas i know that will not be.
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*Originally posted by Nadia_H: *
... say a huge attack against the US in Iraq or a huge Halliburton scandal. Doubtful...
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Another attack (God forbid) means re-election. Halliburton scandal means NOT.
Sis Nadia, How I wish that what ever you have stated turns out to be wrong! I have to agree with your Perception of 2004. But alas! We will have to bear all this.
Allah (swt) will never change our situation unless first we, the Ummah, as a whole change our ourselves.
So true.
May Allah (swt) help us.
Changez_Like, True. i mean in terms of another attack that would escalate the numbers of American troops who are dying. That would sort of push the public's perception more towards the opinion that the 'war' against Iraq is going ahead disastrously and the admin strategized it wrongly from the start. That's already the general public opinion that not everything is going well, "Mission accomplished" it certainly is not, but i think it would require something on a very massive scale that would truly see Bush's popularity and support plummet. If the guerilla warfare escalates significantly, then his support might dwindle. The public probably wouldn't like to see American troops spending a consecutive Christmas in Baghdad for 2004. To put it very crudely, lots of bodybags in an election year wouldn't look very good from a PR point of view.
Brother Sadique, Walaikum Assalaam. 
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Ameen to that.
Pres Pervez Musharref will most certainly be assassinated. This will set off a power struggle that will be won by the extremist Islamic fundamentalists and make Pakistan a flashpoint of great instability on many fronts in world affairs. Osama is now openly acknowledged as a protected guest of the new Pakistani government.
Arafat will die of natural causes. The civil war that follows will be violent and very bloody but relatively short as Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other like minded groups seize and coalesce power. With zero possibility of political settlement, Israel really gets tough and the number of people dieing on both sides increases fivefold.
A slow transfer of power to Iraqis continues, the UN comes back to assist in rebuilding, the level of US forces is reduced somewhat and there are still skirmishes with the resistance.
One or two bigger Al-Qaeda operations are thwarted. Nearer the election, having failed to accomplish a Big Event in the US homeland, individual terrorists conduct some suicide bombings at malls and restaurants and other soft targets in the US.
GWB defeats Howard Dean by about the same margin of victory as his father defeated Michael Dukakis. The Muslim vote largely goes to GWB as Muslims in America don’t trust Dean since his wife and daughter are Jewish.
My crystal ball gets a little fuzzy from here.
Bush will win the elections, fostering a new and unstable world system. Americans will become larger targets, not just among muslims but in other countries as well (To note, Greece holds the high rate of deaths and assualts on americans). New fronts will be opened on the War against terrorism. To be fair Bush will punish some hapless African nation and another middle eastern nation.
Civil Liberties in the US will be further squashed and follow the decline of the Roman empire. More racist acts will be taken both by the american people as well as the government.
Myvoice will get a crystal ball that actually works.
Nadia-- I would like to agree with you in this regard. Some of your comments are sad but true.
myvoice-- I certainly hope whatever you stated regarding Musharraf and Pakistan doesnt come out to be true. Because there arent any capable leaders in our country. Yes some of his policies were illogical but he is our best bet.
CM-- The most imminent disaster for American people is Bush winning another term at the whitehouse. Hope it doenst materialize.
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*Originally posted by saby: *
CM-- The most imminent disaster for American people is Bush winning another term at the whitehouse. Hope it doenst materialize.
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Bingo! My wish for the new year.
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