What will happen in Pakistan? Much to everyone's surprise Osama bin-Laden will finally be hunted down by American forces. His capture in May will provide Obama with a brief bump in the polls. Meanwhile, Pakistan will experience a leadership change-the military will oust Asif Ali Zardari, who, vacationing at a French villa, is refused re-entry into Pakistan.
The Obama administration will publicly deplore the change, while welcoming it privately. These forecast have been penned by Jacob Heilbrunn, the author of the newly released, They Knew They Were Right: the Rise of the Neocons, and a senior editor at the National Interest, in an article titled "What will happen in 2011?".
According to him, at home Republicans will pummel Obama for failing to promote democracy abroad. Pakistan and Russia will be Exhibit A's for Obama's critics. Tim Pawlenty will emerge as the sleeper candidate, while Sarah Palin is pounded by her rivals. Meanwhile, Bristol will embark upon her own reality show, upstaging her mother, including learning to become a NASCAR driver. Pointing out that Paul Pillar is exhorting President Obama to impose a peace on the Israelis and Palestinians and with a Republican-controlled House of Representatives it would amount to a suicide mission, Heilbrunn raises the question: So what will 2011 actually hold?
"In the Middle East the Israeli government may think that it's holding the upper hand over Obama. Paradoxically, however, I think that Benjamin Netanyahu is miscalculating. The Obama administration will pull back from the conflict, in essence washing its hands of Israel. But this can't be good for Israel. 2011 may mark the year when he United States began to turn away from Israel, not in anger but simply resignation," says Heilbrunn.