Casey-pops 2014 Predictions

Dear readers, here we are on another New Year's Day, and it's time for Casey-pops' predictions for 2014. You can check my 1st of January 2013 blog to see how I did this year - but to summarize 2013, *President Obama's 'higher taxes-more expenditures' program was seriously curtailed by the GOP-led House and moderate Democrats, but in October, not February. *The US seems to be bolstering its presence in Iraq, with a December rumor of a US effort to help the faltering coalition government. *Russia salvaged its mideast presence by being the broker of the chemical weapons deal, but al-Assad remains in Syria. *Hillary Clinton's friends have formed several superpac committees to raise funds for her 2016 presidential race, but Hillary has not yet taken the exploratory committee plunge. BUT I missed it on *Greece's European Union lifeline, which is holding so far, and Spain and Italy are doing better. And, *Raphael Nadal has not cut back his tennis schedule and *Tiger Woods did not win a golf major. ~~~~~~ So, dear readers, what will the new year bring? Here are Casey-pops' musings and predictions for 2014. (1). The Novenber elections will produce a tied US Senate - 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans - making Vice President Joe Biden's tiebreaker vote the key to bipartisan actions, or the lack thereof, by Congress. (2). Hillary Clinton will see her large lead in the Democrat presidential nomination sweepstakes eroded by congressional actions concerning Benghazi, but she will announce her candidacy in December. (3). The Benghazi investigations in Congress will lead to the House raising articles of impeachment against President Obama for his handling of the Benghazi attack and for violating the Constitution by modifying laws, especially Obamacare, without the agreement of Congress. There will be no Senate trial unless the GOP becomes the majority party in the Senate, which won't happen. (4). Both Congo-Kinshasa and the Central African Republic will once more disintegrate into civil wars, both politically and religiously motivated and UN peacekeepers will be inable to keep the factions apart, leading to massacres. (5). The Syrian rebel forces on the ground will be severely challenged by both al-Assad forces and the radical Taliban and al-Qaida affiliated forces in the north, where they will terrorize civilian populations, especially women and girls, as they take over towns and villages. The shock of the civilian treatment will be so great in America and Europe that the American Congress and military will quietly join directly with Europe to try to solve the problem, because Obama will continue to refuse help to save the rebels. (6). The horror unfolding in Syria will encourage Congress to challenge the Obama decision to totally withdraw from Afghanistan, forcing him to find common ground with the new Afghan president elected in the Spring in order to prevent a new Taliban takeover. (7). Israel and Saudi Arabia will form a silent coalition to counter Iran's growing power after the Obama-Iran nuclear deal falls apart and Iran confirms that it has successfully tested a nuclear bomb. (8). The Israel-Saudi initiative will also partly be in response to UN reports that the al-Assad regime in Syria has not destroyed all its chemical weapons stockpiles or fabricating facilities. (9). The Sochi Winter Olympic Games will be marred by multiple terrorist attacks in the region and by a serious military confrontation when terrorists try to disrupt the Games venues. (10). Sepp Blatter will finally be forced to resign as FIFA president in the aftermath of the Brazil Football World Cup, which will be disturbed by weak administration, large civilian demonstrations and an inability to protect players and fans from criminal gangs, as well as players' objections to traveling great distances and playing in both summer and winter weather only days apart. THERE YOU HAVE IT. My predictions for 2014. And I would like to add three more less formal ones -- Portugal will be in the World Cup Final, proving just how good the much maligned and unappreciated Christian Ronaldo really is. AND Prince Harry will announce his engagement to be married in 2015, while Kate and William will by year's end be expecting a new baby. HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone.