January 6, 2008
Janus Look Back at 2007 And Ahead to 2008
If there is a patron said of editorialists, it must be Janus.
This ancient demi-god of two faces tended the “Door of Heaven.” He had the power of seeing the past, present and future simultaneously.
Janu-ary is his month, and the first day thereof is his vantage point.
In his spirit, I undertake my annual review of Sunday Morning Reports of world events -- and preview of 2008 -- with a small genuflection to custom.
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What Was
The trenchant event of 2007 continued to be the 6-year War Against Terrorism centered in Iraq – and Afghanistan -- but engulfing the entire Middle East and bedeviling Europe.
A troubling development was extension of the conflict to Pakistan by assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27.
She had just returned -- after 6 years of self-imposed exile -- to run again for office and replace the dictatorial President and Supreme Army Commander Pervez Musharraf.
Popular uprisings for democracy raged there while terrorist attacks resurged in the next-door Taliban area of Afghanistan.
Deadly, terrorist bombings racked Turkey, Lebanon, Spain, Germany, France and United Kingdom.
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It is believed that two, major terrorist attacks were squashed in the United States. However, the administration would not confirm or deny it. A “big one” is surely in the planning of al-Qaeda.
Other 2007 Highlights
JANUARY:
Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. launches a “Hundred Hours” of Democrat legislation -- to try and top the former Republican “Contract With America.” Nothing passed.
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President Bush addresses the nation – in a rare Oval Office televised speech – and says he takes responsibility for any mistakes in Iraq. Also, he announces a surge in the number of U.S. troops there to drive out weakened insurgents.
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In the President’s State Of The Union Address to the combined Houses of Congress, Bush reiterates his request for support of a surge of troops to drive out weakened terrorists in Iraq.
FEBRUARY:
A panel of international scientists says global warming is “very likely man made.”
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Another panel says global warming is a natural cycle of warming and cooling that has been going on for millions of years.
MARCH:
Scooter Libby, Vice-president Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff is convicted of lying and obstructing a CIA leak investigation.
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The State Department says the ongoing genocide in Sudan is the world’s worst genocide.
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Attorney General Alberto Gonzales admits mistakes were made by the Justice Department in firing eight federal prosecutors – but nowhere near the mass firings of other administrations.
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Iran seizes 15 British sailors and marines in the disputed Shatt Al-Arab waterway between Iran and Iraq.
APRIL:
The Supreme Court rules 5-4 that a ban on partial-birth abortion is constitutional.
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Congress narrowly approves legislation for withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 12 months. President Bush vetoes it.
MAY:
America-friendly Nicolas Sarkozy elected French president amidst Muslim riots.
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Israel launches air strikes against Palestinian rocket squads in the Gaza Strip.
JUNE:
Democrat Congressman William Jefferson of Louisiana admits accepting $400,000 in bribes for favorable support of African subsidies.
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Scooter Libby, chief of staff for Vice-president Cheney, sentenced to 2 ½ years for lying and obstructing a CIA investigation into the “leak” to a newspaper columnist of a former spy’s name. President Bush commutes the sentence.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declares an emergency after Hamas militants take control of the Gaza Strip.
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Gordon Brown succeeds Tony Blair as Prime Minister of Britain.
JULY:
North Korea shuts down its sole operating nuclear reactor in return for a shipment of food and oil from South Korea.
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Dow-Jones industrial stock average crosses 14,000 for a new record high.
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Congress raises the national minimum wage 70 cents to $5.85 an hour.
AUGUST:
Two Russian submarines plant their flags below the North Pole ice cap as a claim to oil and mineral deposits discovered there.
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Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigns over dispute of firing eight federal prosecutors, even though other administrations had discharged all 93 simultaneously.
SEPTEMBER:
United Auto Workers walked off the job at General Motors plants in thre first nationwide strike since 1976. Strike ended two days later with concessions by the union.
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Japan’s lower house of parliament elect Yasuo Fukuda as Prime Minister.
OCTOBER:
Dow-Jones Industrial Average rises 191 points – surpassing the July record of 14,000.
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U.S. budget deficits decreases to $163 billion – the lowest shortfall in five years.
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Wild fires by arsonists in California kill 14 people and destroy a record number of homes and forests.
NOVEMBER:
Cyclone strikes Bangladesh killing more than 3,200 people and leaving millions homeless.
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Barry Bond -- home-run slugger for the San Francisco Giants baseball team, with a record 762 all-time home runs -- is indicted on perjury and obstruction of justice for testimony in which he denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. He denies the charges.
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Israel and Palesinians agree to restart Mid-east peace talks.
DECEMBER:
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party wins election -- giving it control of 70 percent of seats in Parliament. Opponents say the election was rigged.
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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez – violently anti-American, narrowly loses a constitutional referendum that would have made him head of state for life.
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Russia ships its first nuclear fuel to Iran.
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New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine signs law making his state the first in 40 years to abolish the death penalty for convicted killers.
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President Bush signs legislation ordering increased automobile fuel efficiency and greater use of ethanol.
The Future ???
Here’s the easy stuff. No one remembers the whiffs, but raves over bull’s eyes.
- A Democrat presidential candidate
could win the general election November 4.
The economy appears to be softening. Oil
has hit a record $100 per barrel. Mortgage
credit is shaky.
- The winning Democrat will not
be Sen. Hillary Clinton or Sen. Barack Obama.
Too much baggage. Most likely, the next President
will be Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.
- The losing Republican will
be Mike Huckabee.
- The economy will continue in plus-margins
for a short time because of world trade momentum.
- Then, the next President will
have to grapple with a soft economy for a
year or two.
- There will
not be a “Great
Depression” like that of the 1930s.
The folly of trade barriers has been well-learned
(I hope). Technology has created a global
economy – like it or not.
- Greatest
challenge for the world in the next few years
will be a rising, militant, Islamic challenge
threatening the “mother
of all wars.”
- Greatest challenge for the United States will be the integration of illegal immigrants.
Hold onto your hat. The road ahead is bumpy.
By Lindsey Wilger Williams, retired newspaper publisher and syndicated columnist
