December 31, 2015
I’ve never written a blog sharing my predictions for the future – but I was reading this article about this Bulgarian woman who apparently made all kinds of predictions, and I was thinking, “Who is this woman? And if she can make bizarre predictions about the future, why can’t I?” First, here’s her brief story:
Vanga – or Baba Vanga as she is known in the Balkans, was born in 1911. The turning point in her life came when she was sucked up into a tornado and thrown in a field. (That’s gonna be rough for anyone.) Her parents couldn’t find her for several days – and when they did, she was blind. And yet…strangely, while she could no longer physically see, she said she could see the future.
While she died in 1996, she thoughtfully left words about the future all the way through the 51st century – which, to me, seems like just a little too much effort, but apparently she’s gotten a few things right in the past. Some of her more notable predictions were the death of Princess Diana, Obama’s presidential win and the 9/11 attacks.
What are some of Baba Vanga’s upcoming prophecies?
- 2016 – Europe will cease to exist as we know it – most of its population will be gone. (Which sounds great for me…much shorter lines when I bring study groups to Europe!)
- 2023 – The Earth’s orbit will change – but it will not impact life. (Suggestion: Don’t tell me about future things that don’t matter…just a suggestion, Vanga.)
- 2028 – We’re going to Venus to find new sources of energy! (Awesome!)
- 2076 – Communism is coming back! (Not cool! But you know what they say, hang on to your clothes long enough, they’ll come back into fashion. Hope you put your “Commie-Wear” in safe storage!)
So, in honor of Vanga, I thought I’d share my predictions for this coming year, 2016:
ISIS will continue to lose territory in Iraq and Syria.
U.S. and coalition forces will brag about their renewed efforts against ISIS – but ISIS will not disappear. ISIS will consolidate power and they will continue to be a draw for those who are interested in a 7th century radical form of Islam. And yes, they will probably cause just enough outrageous problems to add to the instability of the region.
Donald Trump will continue to get lots of press coverage.
This isn’t hard to predict (It’s like predicting that Star Wars will make a lot of money in 2016.) But Trump is the first politician in a long time who gets to say whatever he wants and it doesn’t seem to affect his poll numbers. And I will say this – whether you agree with Trump or not, I do like the fact that someone still believes in free speech – and obviously, he is saying what some people are thinking. Maybe more than “some.”
Hillary Clinton will be the next U.S. President.
Regardless of the hopes of those who desperately want to see many of Obama’s policies reversed, Hillary will continue to survive her Benghazi problems and her email issues while the Republican party continues to be divided and fail to communicate a clear, cohesive vision for the future – especially for a country that has culturally shifted so much in the last eight years.
Barak Obama will use his remaining months in office to continue to reshape America.
He will ignore Congress and rely on Executive Orders. But I’m not sure how much more he’ll get done. I think he’s not going to get his way on immigration or on closing Guantanamo Bay prison.
Iran will continue to flaunt the terms of the new Nuclear Agreement.
And the U.S. will continue to wag their finger and do nothing about it. Meanwhile, Iran will continue to signal to the world that the U.S. is big on talk, but is in no position to hold them accountable- thus allowing Iran to continue increasing influence in the Middle East. (Take a look at this article about Iran testing rockets last week, just 1500 yards from a U.S. aircraft carrier – does Iran look like they’re worried about any U.S. response?)
Russia’s Putin will continue to exhibit aggressiveness in his sphere of the world in 2016.
It seems like everyone has completely forgotten about Ukraine and Russia’s involvement there. My guess is that no new aggressions will be seen between Russia and Ukraine (preventing any NATO action in 2016). But things will not be settled in Ukraine or in Syria – where things will remain unstable. (And expect the U.S. to do their best to unlink NATO’s encroachment in Russia’s backyard and Russia’s growing influence in Middle East politics.)
Turkey.
Look for Turkey to step up its involvement in the Middle East – it has visions of becoming a dominant regional super power and leader in the Muslim world. And don’t be surprised if they ratchet up their animosity and aggression against the Kurds in Syria. Turkey dislikes the Kurds more than they dislike ISIS.
People will re-value freedom.
After a tough year and some devastating terror attacks, 2016 will find people embracing their freedom more aggressively. Acts and threats of terror may continue – but intelligence services and law enforcement will improve and people will not capitulate to those who would invoke fear and seek to destroy the great God-given gift of freedom. People are resilient and thrive best when living out their freedom.
Happy New Year! If you missed my post about the significant events of 2015, catch up here!
The Global Nexter 