NationStates Jolt Archive

Assuming that Bush has been legitimately elected(which, with certain reports isn't certain but that's not what we're discussing here), he has another four years to spend as President of the United States of America. So, what I'm curious is, what exactly do you all think will happen over the course of these next four years?
Personally, I think we're likely to see a build-up upon the previous actions performed by this administration. First, we're likely to see the Iraqi situation remain quite bad for some time yet, at least another year. Second, with the way things are going, we're practically guarenteed to have a war with Iran next, which will just piss off the Arab world even more; maybe Saudi Arabia will finally stop supporting the US.
Of course, we then have North Korea. As we've all heard, they've recently been threatening severe force against Japan if Japan continues with it's sanctions against North Korea. Now, this could just be the Koreans expelling steam and making threats they can't really back up, but we can't truly be certain. I for one believe that, with Bush's incompetence, we'll see either one of two things: either a ground and air war between Japan and North Korea with the UN, including the US, backing up Japan: probable winner of that war would be Japan, of course. We could also see a miniature nuclear war, which would most likely wipe out several Japanese cities and possibly Honolulu, assuming their missiles can reach that far. Of course, then what would happen is the U.S. would turn North Korea into glass, essentially.
And, last, but not least, our good old friend Russia. Putin lately has been taking away freedoms and investing in new weapons, including a new type of nuclear missile, all in the name of "fighting terrorism." Now, maybe a little bit of that is acceptable, but creating new kinds of nukes? How do you fight terrorism with nukes? Answer: you don't. Fact is, Putin is practically a new Stalin; and of course, this situation would be the same regardless of who takes office next month. We may be seeing a brand new Cold War, and I for one do not want to see that happen; I was born a few years before the end of the last one, and didn't have to go through what my parents did with the Cuban Missile Crisis and all that.
So...what do you all think we'll see? Please, do not turn this into a flame war; I want to try to keep this civil.

I dont think we will see any millitary action in North Korea, possibly a missile crisis of some kind but not war. NK has too large a millitary and to well organised. Its far more advanced than anything that the Republican Guard in Iraq had to throw at them, I think it would be very stupid for Bush to attempt something like war there.

I agree with Neo-Cannen. I'm not sure about an invasion of Iran. The US military is stretched too thin. Iran is a bigger country than Iraq. It would be more difficult.

Bush might try it though. To end up with the current Iraq-stalemate position, he had to have been fairly naieve....

It depends a lot more on what Bush's handlers have in store. I just don't know if they would be stupid enough to go after Iran or N Korea while bogged down in Iraq.

The big questions are Putin and terrorists. Putin isn't "practically a new Stalin", he's much worse. He's craftier and more devious. He's got that KGB training and those pesky Chechens (again, probably misspelled) are going to cause him lots of problems and will be his excuse to become the totaletarian dictator he's just waiting to step forward as. Russia is one fucked up situation.

And terrorism isn't going away. It will happen again (I can't believe I agree with Cheney on something) and I wouldn't be suprised if another attack will only allow Bush (or Cheney, should Bush be killed in an attacK - now that's a scary potential!) to become the totalitarian dictator he would like to become. Plenty of politicians on both sides would be perfectly happy if that pesky Constitution could be done away with and would then allow them to rule the way they think they know best.

In short, the rich will get richer, the poor poorer, those who call for common sense changes will continue to be ignored, the world will continue to let us know we are causing way too much trouble with our current course of actions, and not much is going to get accomplished. Yeah, I'm running pretty low on hope these days. I truly hope I'm wrong.

Thinking positively that Bush and all his generals and advisors from big uni's is competent enough to clean up his mess...

Maybe Iraq elections get on, Iraq finally gets democracy, and peace (with a little insurgents here and there).

America economy recovers. Everybody happy.

Wishful thinking? :p

Iraq war calmed down by Jan 2007

Increasing civil unrest in Iran, increased tensions with the US but no war

North Korea bows to increased pressure by China and halts production of nuclear weapons but insists on keeping on hand stock.

Putin will hold central power, but will be slowly stripped of it. Out of office by 2008

Bush leaves office in 2008

Hillary wins Whitehouse. Has to deal with republican majorities in both houses thus forcing compromises on both sides.

UN Oil for Food Scandal report will almost be finished.....

The dollar will continue to slide against other currencies. Since American corporations produce their goods off shore in China this will just mean mounting inflation. Inflation is already at 3.9% expect it to be in the double digits within four years. The economic pressure will force corporations to off shore more and more expensive management hierarchies.

The high inflation rate will mean the Fed will have to raise interests rates, expect those to be in double digits as well. Housing sales will flat line, car sales will flat line, and there will be a epidemic of bankruptcies.

To find anything in history close to what is about to happen you'd have to go back to the early 70s. You won't find a lot about it on the web, but it was bad.