Predictions for 2003

[Alexander's Horse]

Here is my foreign policy list:

The United States and its allies will successfully topple Saddam Hussein but the peace will be messy.

Osama bin Laden's location will finally be pinpointed. He'll be dead by the end of year.

The crisis on the Korean peninsula will lead to the fall of Kim Jong-Il.

Relations between the US and China will deteriorate and there may be confrontation over Korea or Taiwan.

US foreign policy unilateralism and support for Israel will strain relations with Europe.

Israel will be forced by the US to re-open peace talks with the Palestinians.

The global economy will stagnate during the year. Global stock markets will mark time or decline.

Pope John Paul will either die or resign.

[Dinner]

1. Not only will Iraq be totally defeated but, a la post WW2 Japan & Germany, the foundations of a democratic Iraq will also be layed.

2. The conflict in Iraq will cause a flair up in terrorism and an increase of fighting in Afghanastan.

3. The world economy will be marked by slow but steady growth and the U.S. housing market will cool down from it's current feverish pitch.

4. Here at Apolyton Paiktis will successfully pull every Turk (and most of the Americans) into a flame war and then will laugh as the Turks and Americans turn on each other.

[VetLegion]

Pope John Paul will either die or resign.

Pope visits Croatia again in 2003


predictions about the balkans:

1. US pulls out and EU takes over. This inensifies the situation in Bosnia and Kosovo. Now that US is out, incidents are more often.

2. Bosnia the artificial state continues to live in paradox. Economy improves but politics do not. Office of high representative and SFOR military still required to maintain order. Croats unhappy with their status. Militant Islamists in bosnia now for good, plans to get rid of them fail.

3. Serbian economy recovers, market grows and along it neighbouring economies follow. Serbs get a president in third attempt, Kostunica again. More war criminals extradicted, more scandals from the Milosevic dictatorship surface. But the general direction is - forward.

4. Greeks continue to talk big about their orientation on the Balkans, meanwhile continuing to lay all sorts of cables to Italy. They also keep supporting Turkey in EU, knowing there is no real chance of that happening. They accept Croatian application with no fuss.

5. Slovenia, most economicaly developed of new EU members continues slow but steady growth. They use every opportunity to brag to Croatia about their membership. Plans for imperialistic expansion continue in secrecy.

6. Croatia slow but steady growth. Privatisation of last remaining state monopolies. Qualifies for Portugal. Best tourism season since 1991. Big part of motorway to the coast finished. Number of optimists in the country rises.

7. Kosovo. Continues the path to the full independance.

8. Albania. Continued emigration to Italy, Greece and EU. End of population boom not in sight.

9. Montenegro. Continues to live in federation with Serbia. Improves relations with Croatia. Good tourism season.

10. Macedonia. I have no idea.

[Sonic]

Alexander's horse, you said that Kim Il Sung will fall in North Korea in 2003... How could he fall if he died in 1994?

[Lancer]

Sonic, that would make the prediction a long shot wouldn't it?

Iraq will be found to be totally free of WOMD, and the US will invade Saudi Arabia instead. Then, full of fun and fight, the US will hit Iraq just as Saddam is breathing a sigh of relief and finally pulls out the nuke he's been hiding up his ass.

Chinese will invade North Korea after the US hits Iraq. China will win after a short but tough fight. South Korea will stop being morons and start being nice to the US again.

Afghanistan will renounce Islam and adopt Fung Goo.

Turkey will invade Greece and be utterly defeated by swarthy, manly, Greek men in arms in a very heterosexual manner.

[red_jon]

I don't think they'll definently find Osama. They'll probably say, 'we think we've killed him, but we can't be 100% sure'.

As for China and the US - it will happen, but I doubt within the next year.

Not sure on Iraq - either the US and UK will back down due to international condemnation, or they'll be a war, but a democratic government will not be installed (a la Afghanistan).

[Dauphin]

1) Ming will spam his way past the 20,000 post count mark.

[Chris 62]

I thought he passed 20,000 long ago.

[Dauphin]

17,763 at the moment.

[Chris 62]

A PCR may have happened, he was well past that.

[Lancer]

Only bad boys like me get PCRs...

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by Sonic
Alexander's horse, you said that Kim Il Sung will fall in North Korea in 2003... How could he fall if he died in 1994?

Erm, he could fall out of his coffin

[Imran Siddiqui]

That would be embarrasing .

1) The US will invade Iraq and destroy the army, but spend a good amount of time looking for Saddam. Afterwards there will be a token US force, and no real timetable for democratic elections.

2) North Korea will amount to a whole lot of nothing. After a month of attention, they'll let in IAEA inspectors, and everything will go back.

3) The ME will continue to be a battleground. Suicide bombings and incursions will continue.

[H Tower]

1. Apolyton will have 50 new emperors this year, all becauase of the Democracy games.

2.All 50 will be knocked back down to King when Markos examines their posting history when he sees a 2002 poster as emperor.

3. **** Cheney dies of a heartattack

4.Moo3 wil hit the shelves in April, however multiplayer will be horrible until December.

5. Yet another scandal will rock the bush administration, this time over campaign contributions

6.Another Poly event. Jaybee will complete his drive to deity

[Edan]

Bush will reconsider his decision to keep Cheney as VP in a 2004 run and pick someone else. Even if Cheney doesn't die of a heart attack.