A Review of Casey-pops Predictions for 2014

Dear readers, here are the Casey-pops musings and predictions I made last New Year's Day for 2014. Let's see how I did. **(1). I predicted that the Novenber mid-term elections would 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. HALF. The GOP did much better taking a 55 to 45 seay majority in the Senate. So, I'm happy although I was a bit timid with my prediction. **(2). I predicted that Hillary Clinton would see her large lead in the Democrat presidential nomination sweepstakes eroded by congressional actions concerning Benghazi, but she woulf announce her candidacy in December. HALF. Hillary has seen her huge 89% favored-candidate rating sink to 69% - not only because of Benghazi, which is still on the House agenda for 2015, but because of the rise of the populist-left in the Democrat Party led by Senator Elizabeth Warren. This may be why Hillary has chosen to put of announcing her candidacy, hoping the populists on the far left will overplay their anti-business, extreme-socialist hand and collapse as a real force. Don't count on it. This may be a 2016 "George McGovern" Democrat catastrophe on the making. **(3). I predicted the Benghazi investigations in Congress would 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." WRONG. And with only two years left in the Obama presidency and lacking the 2/3 vote needed in both houses of Congress, we can forget impeachment. **(4). I predicted that 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. RIGHT. In eastern Congo, massacres, especially of women and children, continue and villages are forming militias because the UN peacekeeping force is not able to protect them. The Central African Republic is in a shaky ceasefire that the UN peacekeeper force is trying to maintain, but sporadic Moslem-Christian attacks continue. **(5). I predicted that 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." RIGHT. Sadly, that is exactly where we are today - just add ISIS to the terrorist list. **(6). I predicted that 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. RIGHT. Although that hasn't stopped Obama from calling his decision to keep more troops in Afghanistan the end of the war. Obamaspeak is alive and well. **(7). I predicted that Israel and Saudi Arabia would 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.RIGHT. Although neither country would ever admit that they are working together. **(8). I also said that the Israel-Saudi initiative would 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. UNKNOWABLE. So far. **(9). I predicted that the Sochi Winter Olympic Games would be marred by multiple terrorist attacks in the region and by a serious military confrontation when terrorists try to disrupt the Games venues. HALF. The terrorist attacks occurred before the Olympic Games but Putin's saturation of Sochi with Russian forces kept terrorists away during the Games. **(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. HALF. Blatter is under pressure to resign but it is related to the Qatar and Russian games, not Brazil. I also added three less formal predictionss -- Portugal will be in the World Cup Final, proving just how good the much maligned and unappreciated Christian Ronaldo really is. WRONG. Prince Harry will announce his engagement to be married in 2015. WRONG. Kate and William will by year's end be expecting a new baby. RIGHT. ~~~~~ So, 2014 was a middling year for my predoctions. RIGHT 5. HALF 4. WRONG 3. UNKNOWABLE 1. ~~~~~ HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone. Tomorrow we'll take on my predictions for 2015.