How did Last year's Drishtikone Predictions fare?

The year 2007 draws to a close. As is customary, we make many lists of the year gone by. I had also started this tradition last year by compiling my own and others’ lists. Here were my predictions for this year 2007. Let’s see how we did?

1. Dollar will decline and maybe US will avert a correction but the deficit will continue to balloon.

Little need to expand on it. This was SPOT ON and one of the main points of discussion by the end of the year!

2. The tensions due (1) above will increase with China and Europe due to trade issues. Chinese element will also include the military/political muscle flexing as well. India will therefore become an important prop this year. So expect India to become an important “flavor” in American foreign policy.

Again, this also came true to a large extent. The Toy recalls and some books came out and it was clear that there was a push with the Nuclear deal etc. to position India against the growing influence of China!

3. The true implications of Iraq invasion will start becoming all too apparent! If I were Barrack Obama I would NOT run for the President! In fact if I were the head of Democratic party I would let the Republicans take that “honor” in the next President elections. By the end of 2007, the world will realize that Iraq was THE greatest mistake of the modern times. I would be very surprised if a major conflict does not break out in that region.

Well, I am surprised! Many politicians have gone on record in the US to say that Bush’s presidency was the worst ever and Iraq is one of the worst mistakes ever! But I guess the dimensions of this mistake are not completely apparent as of now. Wait till next year.

4. More and more awareness of environment would be spread and it will be visible in some major changes in policies.

This was true as well!! This year’s Nobel Peace Prize was for the Environment to Al Gore and UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Environment took center stage this year.

5. Focus on humanitarian issues in Africa will increase. Hopefully all that will lead to some good results.

There was some focus but it wasn’t as big as last year. So this poverty stricken area continues to get a raw deal!

6. Some major natural calamity will occur – most probably an earthquake in the South-Asia/South-East Asia region that will bring many people outside that region together for charity.

Earthquakes continued to pound the South-East regions. Indonesia got a 8.4 scale earthquake in September, 2007. There were a few earthquakes and with substantial deaths

7. New technologies to help reduce dependence on oil will become more efficient. Wind power will gain more momentum.

This can be seen in the rise in stocks of companies that sell Solar and Wind power equipment.
Though it wa