Jonathan Freedland (Guardian Utd): Reckless predictions

[Jack Rabbit]

From the Guardian Unlimited (UK)
Dated Wednesday December 31

Sharon's resignation, and other reckless predictions
Blair and Bush have little to fear in 2004. But what of the rest?
By Jonathan Freedland

In a neat bit of symmetry, why not end the year as we began it? On January 1 this column made six reckless predictions for 2003. The first was that the US and Britain would take military action in Iraq. Next came forecasts that Ariel Sharon would be re-elected in Israel, going on to rule with a narrow, rightwing coalition rather than a government of national unity; that Gordon Brown would say the five economic tests on the euro had not been passed; that the new constitution for Europe would end up as a dish of classic Brussels fudge; that the Tories would dump IDS; and that Northern Irish elections would see Sinn Féin and anti-agreement Unionists emerge as the two biggest forces in the province.
OK, maybe it didn't exactly take Mystic Meg to predict war in Iraq or, indeed, any of the above. And the European guess turned out to be far too optimistic; instead of a fudge, the union did not agree a constitution at all. But there is the beginning of a tradition to maintain here, so why not give it another whirl?

Most of these are pretty gloomy. It's going to be a rough year.

[Demeter]

1. We Just Have To Work Harder, Persist in the Face of the Naysayers

George Bush will not keep this country, this world, hostage for another four years. And Sandra Day O'Connor will not roll over for him anymore. She learned her lesson.